Thatchers, the West-based cider maker, is heading east to target the massive Chinese drinks market.
The firm, which already exports to Europe, Russia, Australia and the US, is to send representatives to seven major Chinese cities to explore potential trade opportunities – including the country’s beer capital of Qingdao, famous for its Tsingtao lager.
China is the world’s biggest beer market by volume – some 54bn litres are downed there every year – and among the fastest-growing, while its rapidly growing middle class are increasingly buying imported beer and wine. 
But cider remains a niche drink with only a handful of domestic producers and few bars and restaurants other than those catering for ex-pats selling imported ciders.
Now family-owned Thatchers, which produces 50m litres of cider a year, believes the time is right to turn the China’s taste buds on to their Somerset-produced tipple. With a potential market of 300m consumers – out of a population of 1.35bn – China is widely viewed as the largest opportunity for UK cider producers to expand their exports.
With assistance from the Government’s export advice organisation UKTI (UK Trade and Investment) and the CBBC – China Britain Business Council – Thatchers will be taking a three-week trip around the country with visits to retailers and distributors in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao and three other cities.
Thatchers managing director Martin Thatcher said: “China already enjoys wine and beer imported from Europe. We feel that the time is now right for us to look to introduce Thatchers Somerset cider to them too.
“China represents a huge opportunity for us. Working with the CBBC and UKTI has given us valuable insight into the market and has helped us to understand the developing tastes of the Chinese consumer.”
Thatchers first visited China in September last year as part of the Great British Brands Festival, organised by UKTI and the CBBC in Bristol’s ‘sister city of Guangzhou, to showcase British-made products and where thousands of Chinese consumers were introduced to the firm’s ciders
Last year Thatchers, which makes its range of craft ciders at Sandford, near Weston-super-Mare, entered the lucrative US market for the first time in its 110-year history and now sells its flagship brand Thatchers Gold in bars across 20 states as Americans.
Cider sales are rising rapidly around the world with over 100% growth in Australia and the US over the last few years.
