Beverage Dynamics

Beverage Dynamics July-August 2015

Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.

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24 Beverage Dynamics • July/August 2015 www.beveragedynamics.com Brand SPOTLIG HT Q&A BY JEREMY NEDELKA Cider is one of the fastest-growing cat- egories in beverage alcohol right now. Just in time for the fall season, I had the chance to speak to Alejandra de Obeso, Strongbow Apple Cider's Brand Direc- tor. Strongbow is an English cider com- pany, with four fl avors distributed in the U.S. by Heineken USA. BD: What differentiates Strongbow from other hard ciders on the market? AO: Many of our competitors position their brands in what we call the "savor" segment, which focus on relaxation and session occasions, whereas Strongbow is targeting upscale consumers who are experimental, but also aware of prod- uct quality and mindful of the choices they make. Those consumers tend to consider variety and brand credentials when making purchasing decisions. We stand apart from competi- tors in quality and we're also proud of our cider-making heritage — we've been expertly crafting hard ciders for over 125 years. Strongbow Gold Apple was awarded Best Tasting Common Cider at the tastings.com World Beer Championship and our Honey & Apple took home gold in the Specialty Cider category. BD: What opportunities are available for cider in the American marketplace? AO: The category has really exploded in the U.S. in recent years and isn't show- ing any signs of slowing down. It's also an attractive segment for retailers be- cause it offers higher margins, making Strongbow Gold Apple was awarded Best Tasting Common Cider at the tastings.com World Beer Championship and the Honey & Apple took home gold in the Specialty Cider category QUALITY CIDER, BEST POURED OVER ICE it an ideal profi t generator. We believe the cider category is still in its infancy with considerable room for expansion. As the category grows we believe a few brands will emerge from the pack, Strongbow clearly among them. BD: How important is serving over ice to the brand and its perception in the marketplace? AO: Pouring a Strongbow over ice ampli- fi es the brand's refreshment and makes it the perfect drink to start the evening. We truly believe Strongbow over ice is a proven recipe for success, as it brings out the fl avors of our bittersweet and culinary apples. The ritual is straightfor- ward and truly delivers Strongbow at its "bestest." BD: How do fl avors and variety packs play into Strongbow's growth strategy? AO: We know our consumers are curious and experimental – always looking for new, unique, excit- ing taste experiences. What better way to deliver the diversity they crave than through a variety pack, which we just launched this spring! Available year- round, the pack includes Gold Apple and Honey, plus two new delicious fl a- vors – Red Berries and Ginger. Red Berries is a blend of sweet, juicy mixed berries with crisp lemon notes and apple fi nish. Ginger has fresh fl oral aromas, a hint of muscato notes and a crisp, refreshing apple fi nish. BD: What innovations do you plan to release in the upcoming year? AO: As a leader in the category, we're always pursuing new fl avors to bring to our customers. Our innovations are built on the foundations of the category – always from apples and always natural fl avors. It's too early to talk specifi cs, but we have a range of new fl avor offerings in development for 2016 and beyond. BD

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