Easy to drink and totally Instagram-able, rosé cider is the latest pink drink that’s hooking Millennials and reinvigorating the cider category.
Since being named Pantone Colour of the Year in 2016, Millennial Pink has continued to trend on social media with more than 97,000 mentions on Instagram to date and pink-hued product innovations such as frosé and pink gin being embraced by consumers.
With everything coming up rosé lately, from slushies to sorbet, spirits to cocktails, it was inevitable that the fast-growing cider industry would grab onto the trend.
With rosé cider rising to ‘the drink of summer’ status in the northern hemisphere, Strongbow Blossom Rosé Cider launched in Australia in November 2018.
A spokesman for Carlton & United Breweries said: “Strongbow Blossom Rosé Cider has been enormously successful. For example, BWS data shows it had the highest repeat purchase of any new cider in the 12 weeks to late January.
“It hit $1 million in sales within several months of its launch. And it’s growing the category: almost half of all purchases are made by people whose primary drink is not beer or cider”.
Product Development Manager, Scott Vincent added: “Strongbow Blossom Rosé Cider delivers juicy toffee apple notes. The initial sweetness on the palate is delicately balanced by a crisp apple tartness and followed by a light, lingering dryness to finish.”
The cider industry is on the rebound globally. After declining for more than two years in a row, Nielsen reports sales of cider in the US grew over the first quarter of this year.
“While regional brands have been experiencing phenomenal growth of late, this was the first positive quarter national brands have experienced in a while. You can point to rosé cider as a big reason for their recent growth ,” said Michelle McGrath, executive director of the United States Association of Cider Makers (USACM).
