A new orange-flavoured cider from Thatchers cider mill near Bristol has been named the most popular new alcoholic drink in Britain. The brand's Blood Orange cider, which was trialled in selected pubs across Bristol in 2021 and then rolled out into stores across the country in 2022, has been named the most successful new alcoholic drink.
It has been bought by more people this year than any other newly-launched drink in the ‘BWS sector’ - the beer, wine and spirit market that includes ciders. The cider mill, farm and orchards based at Sandford, near Bristol, also launched a dark fruits variety this year to join previously launched cider variations, including cloudy lemon and Thatchers Haze, which were launched in recent years.
Retails sales figures released by the Kantar Shoppers Panel and the IRI sales up to the first week of October have revealed Thatchers Blood Orange variety has become one of the top four best-selling fruit ciders in the UK, just months after it was launched in supermarkets across the country, and has sold more bottles and cans in stores than all the other new ciders launched in 2022 combined.
