In a ground-breaking initiative that will generate a step-change in relevance for the entire category, Brothers Drinks Co. is to launch an exciting Cider Shandy range to complement its existing line-up of flavoured ciders.
Available in 330ml cans, the duo of 1.2% ABV Brothers Cider Shandy variants will appear in-store from the end of April, in time for the key cider season and ahead of the World Cup. Presented in 4-pack card outers, the two flavours – Classic Lemon and Dark Cherry – will retail on shelf at between £2.80 and £3.00. Containing real fruit and natural flavours, the pair will deliver a refreshing full-on taste but, importantly, one which leaves heads feeling clear.
Bold multipack graphics clearly communicate the innovative Cider Shandy proposition in a retro style, and striking sleek-format 330ml cans offer convenience, portability and recyclability. Both flavour variants are lighter in calories and contain at least 30% less sugar than key alcohol-free cider competitors1.
The new 1.2% ABV range delivers true innovation and will disrupt the category, encouraging consumers to re-evaluate how cider can align with modern lifestyles and evolving alcohol consumption trends. The variants are a natural and logical progression for the Brothers Cider brand, following its successful 2024 repositioning which centred predominantly around offering sessionable, easy-drinking 3.4% ABV fruit-flavoured ciders.
Primarily targeting 18 to 30-year-olds, Brothers Cider Shandy is for those who recognise that what they imbibe is a reflection of their identity; these consumers aspire to be on-trend and cultured. Health and well-being are important to this group, yet they want to stay socially connected. Well thought-out low alcohol products help consumers achieve this but, significantly, on their terms where they stay in control.
Classic Lemon and Dark Cherry Cider Shandy bridge the gap between established no and low products and more regular ABV offerings, ensuring drinkers ‘fit right in’, not ‘feel left out’. Traditionally, the term ‘shandy’ has only ever had beer connotations; innovative Brothers Cider Shandy is reimagining the beer-dominated term for a cider audience.
The category-expanding launch from the family owned Somerset brand is founded on robust research and insight:
– Within the total cider category, the lowest ABV band (1.2% and below) is the segment experiencing the fastest levels of both volume and value growth2 (+36%, +29% respectively).
– The number of no and low cider segment shoppers has increased by 18% in the last year3;
these shoppers are younger and more affluent than the total cider category equivalent. With very little current cross-over between no and low cider shoppers and those who buy into the wider cider category, there are significant expansion opportunities for both total cider and the no and low segment.
Brothers was the brand responsible for the UK’s first-ever flavoured cider and has remained at the forefront of category flavour development ever since; these strong foundations afford the new low alcohol Cider Shandy variants true credibility.
Emma Vanderplank, marketing controller, Brothers Drinks Company, says: “Brothers Cider Shandy is not about settling for second best; it’s about selecting what suits you best. Consumers want drinks that align seamlessly with their existing habits and social rituals and our Cider Shandy products do exactly that.
“We believe that lower alcohol strength shouldn’t mean lower flavour strength. We’ve mixed apple cider with zesty lemons and juicy dark cherries to create shandy flavours which taste full on but leave heads feeling clear.
“Our research showed that shandy’s retro connotations were viewed warmly and positively, linking back to a more carefree time before smartphones, social media and online domination. The no and low category is now very much a proactive, considered alternative, and Brothers Cider Shandy is set to bring innovation and real consumer choice to fixtures.”
Source1: Brothers Cider Shandy 38kcal/6.9g sugars per 100ml (vs Kopparberg Alcohol-Free Strawberry & Lime 41kcal/10.1g; Rekorderlig Strawberry-Lime Alcohol Free 39kcal/9.3g)
Source2: Worldpanel Take Home Purchase Data – Total Cider, Total Market , ABV Bands, Volume (000s) +35.5% & Value (£000s) 28.8%, 52 w/e 10.08.25 vs YA
Source3: Worldpanel Kantar Purchase Panel 52 w/e 29.12.24 (number of shoppers +17.6% vs YA)
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