Magazine: Sweet apple

Just a few years were enough for ciders to find their place and target group on the Hungarian market. Cider is originally made from apples but today there are many other fruit flavours available among ciders.

The majority of ciders are sold by beer distributors but the taste and production method of cider is more similar to that of sparkling wines. Bram Westenbrink, marketing director of Heineken Hungária Breweries Zrt. (the distributor of Strongbow) told our magazine that cider is consumed in many part of Europe but mass production started in England (Bulmers brothers, 1887). Cider is made with the partial or full fermentation of apple juice (between 4 and 15 °C), by pressing and not distilling apple. András Palkó, the marketing manager of Carlsberg Hungary Kft. (distributor of the Hungarian market leader Somersby brand) informed us that consumer taste varies across different markets. Hungarians like their cider sweet. In Hungary cider sales represent less than 0.5 percent of beer sales but volume sales almost doubled in 2012 and Mr Palkó sees great potential in the Hungarian market. This spring Strongbow surprises consumers with a special honey flavour. From May Somersby (apple, pear, cranberry) will be available in cans too. Mr Westenbrink told us that their target group is 25-35-year-old city dwellers. In his view cider can win market from wines, long drinks and alcopops. Mr Palkó agrees that cider’s competitors are long drinks but in his opinion cider is in bigger competition with traditional and flavoured beers. Our magazine’s humble opinion is that premium and super premium category ciders can also be an alternative to sparkling wines – thanks to their rather low alcohol content. Carlsberg’s expert told that their target group is young adults between the ages of 18 and 35. He reckons that due to its price, in bars and restaurants ciders are more marketable in higher-positioned units.