Indian beer brand Kingfisher eyes ‘untapped’ opportunity in cider

Indian beer brand Kingfisher has launched a new cider brand in the UK, designed specifically to pair with Asian food.

The launch of Peacock cider brings an opportunity for the UK’s 12,500 Asian restaurants to capitalise on the growing popularity of cider with UK consumers, brand owner Kingfisher Beer Europe said. Created in collaboration with cider maker Aspall, Peacock cider is described as ‘an easy drinking apple cider that has been designed to complement the vast flavours in Asian foods, providing a burst of refreshment to balance aromatic spices’.

It has an ABV of 4.8% and is made from freshly pressed culinary and bittersweet cider apples.

Kingfisher Beer Europe senior brand manager Gemma Watkins said: “We are excited to be bringing an innovative and premium new offering to the restaurant market that will broaden our customers’ existing drinks offer and provide incremental opportunities to sell more. An extremely positive pre-sale period has proved this new cider is a welcomed addition to the category.”

The launch of Peacock is in response to increasing consumer demand for cider – a currently untapped opportunity in the UK’s Asian restaurant segment, with 38% of operators not selling cider in any format. Market research also suggests that nearly three-quarters of consumers they would choose a cider with Asian food and 97% of cider consumers would drink an Asian cider were one available.

Peacock cider will be available to the on-trade from 21 November, in 12-count cases of 500ml bottles.