InterContinental Brands and Gaymer Cider branch out with new fruit flavours

Both InterContinental Brands and Gaymer Cider Company are refreshing their drink selections with a particular emphasis on fruit.

As Spring arrives, Gaymers is hoping to extract increased profit from a growing taste for fruit-based alcoholic drinks. Gaymers Fruit will be available in 330ml and 568 ml bottles, and has a ‘medium fruit flavour with pear undertones’. Traditional cider making methods are used to create Gaymers Fruit and uses the juice of strawberries, blackberries and blackcurrants. The cider company will be promoting the new flavours at music festivals including Glastonbury. Gaymers will inevitably face increased challenges to maintain profit margins following the decision in Wednesday’s budget to increase the duty on cider, by 10% above inflation

Meanwhile, InterContintal Brands is also bringing more fruit to the drinks market. It is adding Cherry and Blackcurrant to the existing pear cider range of Original, Raspberry, as well as Lime and Blueberry. The new variants are particularly aimed at the 18-25-year-old market. InterContinetal’s ‘Light Spirit’ brand Sambuxo is also being expanded with the addition of Cherry, Blackcurrant and Liquorice. Finally, InterContintal is shaking up the shandy category with the introduction of St Helier Ginger Beer Shandy and St Helier Lager Shandy. Both drinks are 3.5% abv and include one-third lemonade.

26 March 2010