Thatchers, the North Somerset cider maker, has entered the lucrative US market for the first time in its 110-year history.
From this month, its flagship brand Thatchers Gold will be available in bars across 20 states as Americans increasingly get a taste for traditional English cider.
While the entire cider/perry category in the US is equal to less than 1% of beer sales, it is growing fast. Latest figures from Euromoniter International show sales of hard cider have tripled in the US over the past three years. Volume and value sales increased by 64% and 69% respectively last year and it is estimated that, in 10 years’ time, the category in the US will have grown to 1.3bn litres.
Family-owned Thatchers, which makes its range of craft ciders at Sandford, near Weston-super-Mare, has signed an exclusive, three-year deal with independent Scottish brewery Innis & Gunn to distribute bottled Thatchers Gold through its US subsidiary.
The brand outperforms the UK off-trade by 36% and the on-trade by 27%. Now, according to Dougal Sharp, founder and CEO of Innis & Gunn, it is ready to take on the US market.
“Thatchers Gold is regarded as being one of the best ciders in the world,” he said.
“Thatchers’ commitment to crafting the highest-quality and best-tasting cider means that they are the perfect complement to the position that Innis & Gunn has established in the US beer market.
“Thatchers Gold will be new to the US, where the cider category is showing explosive growth. A new generation of American consumers is looking for ciders with heritage, quality and character, so this is a very exciting step and we are proud to be part of it.”
For the US market, Thatchers Gold will be sold in 330ml bottles – smaller than the 550ml bottles UK drinkers are used to. The label will be slightly modified to stress that it is English cider and also gluten free. The firm already exports to 20 countries worldwide including much of Europe, Australia and Russia.
Martin Thatcher, managing director and fourth generation cidermaker at Thatchers, said: “The reputation of crafted English cider is rapidly spreading in the US. Thatchers Gold has gained a well-earned reputation in the UK for its quality and great taste, together with the values of heritage and provenance that it represents.
“With this continued growth in understanding and awareness of cider, the time is now right for Thatchers Gold to enter this exciting US market and engage with those consumers seeking out new and interesting brands.”
Thatchers ciders are produced at Thatchers’ Myrtle Farm, Sandford, where the Thatcher family has been tending its orchards since 1904.
Cidermaking use skills have been passed down through the family to blend locally-grown apples such as Dabinett, Somerset Redstreak and Porters Perfection.
Under the new agreement, Innis & Gunn will assume all administrative, marketing and promotional support for Thatchers Gold through its New York-based US subsidiary, Innis & Gunn USA, Inc (IGUSA).
Pictured, from left: Thatchers managing director Martin Thatcher with Dan Deluca, managing director of Innis & Gunn USA, in the Thatchers’ orchards at Myrtle Farm, Sandford
