Heineken UK’s latest Cider Public House Rules report showed the segment was now worth £2bn to pubs, bars and restaurants and had grown to be the second biggest category within the UK on-trade.
Figures from CGA, as detailed in the report, estimated 342m pints and 11m bottles of cider were sold in the on-trade during the 12-months to December 2024.
Unsurprisingly, apple cider continued to lead the way for the category, however premium flavoured cider on draught saw notable growth.
Classic apple cider accounted for 26% of the draught cider market, equating to a value of £10,200 per pub per year.
Meanwhile mainstream apple cider held a 32% share of the draught cider market last year, delivering a value of £20,300 per pub per year. Premium apple had an 18% share of the draught segment, equating to £9,800 in value per pub per year.
In the flavoured category, premium serves delivered the most value (£9,700 per pub per year) and held an 8% share of the draught cider market, followed by mainstream flavoured cider, which accounted for 15% of the segment and delivered £6,900 in value per pub per year.
Heineken UK on-trade sales director Will Rice said: “This report reaffirms there should be huge optimism for the category.
“Cider remains a staple for the vast majority of pubs and bars in the UK and consumers view it as a key part of the quintessential pub and bar experience. In fact, 79% of consumers say it is an important consideration when choosing where to visit.
Good value
“Operators that invest in their cider range, either by increasing the number of packaged products or adding an additional line to the bar, are being really rewarded with increased money in the till.
“For what is a financially tough time for the sector, ensuring your cider offer is fit for purpose is a really easy win.”
According to the report, Heineken UK accounted for 42.1% value share in the UK on-trade cider market, followed by Molson Coors Beverage Company at 19.2%, Thatchers at 15.8%, Kopparberg at 7.5% and Budweiser Brewing Group at 4.1%.
The most popular apple draught ciders in pubs last year by value were Strongbow Original (£229m), Inch’s (£203m), Thatchers Gold (£202m), Aspall Cyder (£130m) and Stowford Press (£77m).
Meanwhile the most popular flavoured draught ciders by value were Strongbow Dark Fruit (£138m), Old Mout Berries & Cherries (£56m), Carling Black Fruit Cider (£35m), Thatchers Apple & Blackcurrant (£18m) and Rekorderlig Strawberry & Lime (£13m).
Inch’s apple cider and Thatchers Apple & Blackcurrant were the variants that saw the most growth during the 12-month period.
Some 42% of customers preferred to be served cider on draught while 31% felt from a bottle in a glass, over ice was best.
Though the main challenges for the category were seasonality, regionality and space on the bar, the report added.
Despite this, 76% of consumers said they saw cider as “good value for money”, which was higher than any other category.
Heineken urged value for money shouldn’t be confused with cheap, adding 46% of consumers said they would trade up within the category.
The most popular occasions for cider drinkers were catching up with a small group of friends, celebrations, family occasions, meals with friends or pub/bar crawls, suggesting the category was preferred in more relaxed environments.
Dual strategy
The drivers of choice for consumers for both food-led and wet-led pubs were value for money, favourite brands and quality.
Regionally, Strongbow, while a solid performer across the country, had the most appeal in Wales, the north-east and Scotland.
Aspall, however, performed better in the east and London whereas Thatchers dominated the market in its heartland, the south-west and Inch’s was most popular in the south and south-east.
Market leaders in the flavoured category, including Old Mout, Rekorderlig and Kopparberg were found to have less regional bias compared with draught apple ciders.
CGA by NIQ commercial leader Rachel Weller said: “Cider remains a crucial part of the long alcoholic drinks category in Britain and the pub sector is highly important for the category.
“Consumers who drink cider are actively engaged with the on-premise and are drinking out more frequently than they were a year ago.
“Growth for apple and premium flavoured ciders indicates the need to cater to different consumer preferences and pub operators should note draught cider is on the rise, maintaining a majority share of volume sales, while packaged cider has seen declines.
“With consumers focused on value and navigating the cost-of-living crisis, a dual strategy catering to both draught and packaged cider consumers is essential.”
Weller added cider was a loyalty driven category: “More than three quarters of cider consumers specify a brand when ordering, which is five percentage points higher than the average consumer.
“Additionally, almost two in five purchasing decisions are influenced by the availability of favourite brands, making it a more significant driver than value and quality.
“With loyalty being so crucial, suppliers must ensure the right cider brands are stocked in the right outlets.”
