Cider brand Aspall bought by US beer giant

The cider producer – run for eight generations by the Chevallier family – will continue to operate from its single site in Aspall, Suffolk as part of Molson Coors’s UK & Ireland business.

Members of the family will remain part of the company to help shape the strategic direction of Aspall, ensuring that it continues to work closely with the local community.

Molson Coors will be investing in Aspall’s Suffolk operation to help expand production and increase its customer-base.

Aspall chairman Barry Chevallier Guild said the acquisition was an important milestone for the cider producer, which had followed a year of negotiation between the two companies.

Accelerate our growth​

“Molson Coors is known for respecting the provenance of local brands it has acquired in the past and has the scale and expertise to accelerate our growth in the premium cider category in the UK and beyond,”​ said Guild.

“There is a real opportunity to elevate and grow the status of English cider in the UK and abroad both as a beverage and as an excellent partner for food. We believe that Molson Coors’s investment will provide the catalyst to grow Aspall and build the recognition for quality cider worldwide.”​

Aspall’s volume of cider sales grew by 10% in 2016, as the UK cider market’s total value grew by over 25% between 2010 and 2015, according to market research company Nielson.

Phil Whitehead, Molson Coors UK & Ireland md, added: “The Chevalliers have been producing cider for almost 300-years and their range of brands enhances our existing portfolio. ​

Premiumise our portfolio​

“We’re now looking forward to helping Aspall become the number one premium cider in the UK and building on the huge potential of the Aspall vinegars, as part of an ongoing strategy to premiumise our portfolio.”​

The acquisition followed a series of investments by Aspall since 2015, which helped it gain more control over its business, according to Guild.

Speaking in an exclusive video interview​ with FoodManufacture.co.uk in 2015, Guild revealed how the cider manufacturer had hit its targets for the implementation of new bottling, kegging and bag-in-box lines.

Meanwhile, Burts Potato Chips has purchased Leicester-based popcorn and healthy snacks firm Savoury & Sweet for an undisclosed sum​ in its first acquisition since the company was founded in 1997.