Heineken Ireland is set to launch its own cider brand on 1 May this year.
The drinks giant plans an investment of €20 million over the next five years, as a way to take a slice of Ireland’s Irish cider market, which is currently valued at €366 million.
Heineken is keeping the details of the launch under wraps, saying only that they will be announced with a heavily supported advertising and marketing drive.
Heineken Ireland Marketing Director, Sharon Walsh explained the move, saying, “For the past few years, the cider category has been in growth across many channels. At Heineken Ireland we believe we can reshape the category dynamics by developing and investing in it.”
Fiona Curtin, Senior Innovation Manager at Heineken Ireland added, “Our new cider brand has been under development for over 3 years. We have undertaken major research into the category, from a branding and taste perspective, and we know that Irish cider drinkers are looking for an alternative. Now, as we prepare for this major launch, we are very confident that what we have produced is very compelling.”
