Meteoric rise

Following its rapid growth over the last 18 months, Noli Dinkovski discovers Kopparberg is ready to capitalise on its unique heritage

With provenance and authenticity the brand buzz-words of recent times, you'd almost believe a drink isn't a drink these days unless there is some sort of story behind it. Well, put aside the 14th-century Belgian beers and 150-year-old Cuban rums for now, as there is a cider that likes to start some 14 million years ago.

For this was when a meteorite hit what today is a remote part of Sweden, leaving an area rich in minerals, and creating the soft water conditions perfect for brewing. As a result, Kopparberg cider — made from a recipe dating back to 1930 — will never be produced anywhere else.

"The town of Kopparberg is like a mix between Twin Peaks and Fargo," muses Davin Nugent, managing director of UK distributor Cider of Sweden. "It's tiny and it lives for the brewery, but it gives the cider a real sense of place and home."

It's this sense of belonging that will be the focus of a £3m-plus marketing spend for Kopparberg later in the year — the first major UK campaign for a brand that has gone from almost nowhere to 10,000 on-trade outlets in just 18 months.

Sweeter than typical British ciders, Kopparberg is available in 500ml bottles and is usually served over ice. Its leading version is the 4.5% abv pear flavour, which is now claimed to be the number-one selling pear cider in the UK. A 4% abv mixed-fruit variety accounts for almost a third of sales, while 4.5% abv apple takes 10%.

"The way it has spread through word of mouth has been phenomenal," says Nugent. "People have been championing it like it is their own brand — just look at the number of Kopparberg appreciation groups on Facebook."

Nugent, a Dubliner who was responsible for making Tiger Beer a leading bottled lager in Ireland before his current role, gives much of the credit to on-trade sales director Adrian Hirst, who has been the "driving force" behind securing listings with Mitchells & Butlers, Greene King, Punch Taverns and Regent Inns among others.

"Adrian has really moved us in the on-trade," says Nugent. "Our focus last year was to get the distribution right and now we've achieved that, we're ready to communicate what the brand is all about."

Nugent is wary that an "all-singing, all-dancing" ad campaign may work against the level of appreciation that has already built up for Kopparberg, and is keen to get the tone right. "We're not into securing a sponsorship deal with, say, a major music festival, because it's too obvious — those things can be interchangeable with any brand," he says.

"We're looking for partners that match the personality of the cider, so we can bring something to the party, rather than just an advertising hoarding. I can't say any more than that now, but expect to see things happening in May."

One thing Nugent makes clear is that Kopparberg will maintain a premium price in pubs: "We don't do discounts or offer deals — we don't intend to 'out Bulmers' Bulmers. They have done a fantastic job in going after Magners' share, but we don't see ourselves in that same arena."

Most of Kopparberg's success, says Nugent, is at the expense of other sectors, including premium packaged lagers and RTDs.

"If you're a Bulmers or Magners drinker then you're probably not going to move to Kopparberg as it's so much sweeter," he says.

But does the sweet profile mean it's a drink for females? "Not at all," says Nugent. "Almost half of our drinkers are male, and it comes in a very masculine bottle."

Despite Kopparberg's unisex appeal, Nugent has no plans for a sharing-size bottle, nor is he interested in more flavours, low-calorie or draught versions for now.

"We're in this for the long haul — if you bring out multiple versions for every day of the week you'll make great hay this summer, but you'll be gone the next," says Nugent. "With a triple-digit sales growth for pear over the last six months, we've more than enough work on our hands."

Nugent on...

The Budget

"We got nailed over our mixed-fruit flavour, which for some reason is classified as a made wine. Because of that, 4% abv mixed fruit has £2.13 extra duty per 15-bottle case compared with 4.5% abv pear, which is ridiculous."

The cider market

"It doesn't concern me that cider is getting a bad rap — it's still in double-digit growth, while the beer market is going the other way. Magners has had a tough year, but is still extraordinarily successful."

Price rises

"On top of the Budget rises, we've seen juice prices double over the past 12 months thanks to a poor fruit crop, plus there is a European shortage of glass. We managed to absorb price increases last year, but this time around we can't."