60% 75%


The percentage of cider sales accounted for by apple cider


The percentage of cider sold on draught in the out-of-home market


Premium ciders can now stand alongside wine in the food-matching stakes, and cider has overtaken beer in volume sales, making it an increasingly popular option in the on-trade


C


ider may have a slight identity crisis in the on-trade. Does it belong on the bar alongside ale and lager in the category sometimes called LADs, or Long Alcoholic Drinks? Is it at home in the fridge, in the com- pany of craft beer? Or is it more suited to the wine list, offered as an accompaniment to food? The answer, probably, is “all of the above”, depending on the brand and style. CGA’s figures show that, in terms of sales, cider outperformed its closest rivals, beer and wine, during 2018. While both of those saw declines in the out-of-home sector, cider managed to increase its volume sales by 1.9% and its value sales by a more impressive 4%. This was despite a 1.2% decline in the number of outlets serving cider, down 1.2% to 112,134, reflecting the fall in numbers across the wider hospitality sector. Around 75% of cider is sold on draught in


the out-of-home market, with apple cider accounting for around 60% of sales, and the growing fruit cider category taking the lion’s share of the remainder. The National Association of Cider Makers believes there is further opportunity for cider


www.thecaterer.com


THE BIG APPLE


“Fruit ciders could account for 50% of UK cider sales in the next five years”


if it can get more sympathetic treatment from the government. While the headline from the autumn budget stated that cider duty was frozen, ciders in the middle-duty band saw a 25% tax increase. As with beer, while such measures are designed to tackle immoderate consump- tion of higher-strength brands, the industry argues that the duty regime also penalises the many small cider makers producing craft and artisan products, many of which have a higher ABV than standard ciders. In addition, ciders with additions such as fruit juice, botani- cals or hops are


classified as a “made wine” by HMRC, attract- ing a higher duty rate than apple cider. Despite this, consumers clearly enjoy such innovation, with some forecasts suggesting that fruit ciders could account for 50% of UK cider sales in the next five years, with draught brands in the on-trade leading the charge. At the top end of the market, a group of pro- ducers who want to drive quality perceptions of cider have launched the Cider Is Wine marque. Focusing on products made with 100% fresh apples, and with minimal intervention, such as sterile filtration rather than pasteurisation, the group believes that with the right consumer and trade education, these upmarket ciders can compete with wine as a match with food. Consumers will undoubtedly continue to be offered an increased range of cider choice, from premium single varietals to a broader range of flavoured ciders. With a new cider sommelier – or pommelier – qualification now available to the trade from the Beer & Cider Academy, the opportunity is there to take cider to new heights.


Drinks Guide 2019 | 23


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