They said it was a fad. They were wrong.
Summers after cider's big bloom, the category continues to be massively important for licensees. The latest on-trade figures from Nielsen show cider grew in the year to March by seven per cent in value terms and by three per cent in volume terms. By the end of the year, it had a six per cent share of the value of drinks sold in licensed premises.
Magners and Bulmers Original have been joined by a long list of products that demonstrates producers are attempting to - depending how you see it - either grow the category or simply cash in. Pear, blueberry, lemon and strawberry ciders can all be found in back-bar fridges. Extra cold draught variants for cider are vying for space on the bar.
Do these represent the real opportunity for licensees to see continued good business from cider? Or does the proliferation of flavours and brand extensions risk overcrowding the category, something which contributed to the demise of ready-to-drinks (RTDs) in the 1990s? We asked those involved…
Brothers
Phil Plowman, head of marketing
On brand variations: "Our variants [including pear, lemon and strawberry ciders] were launched to the trade because of demand. Different products appeal to different consumer groups - for example, strawberry to women and pear to slightly more mature drinkers. The trade needs to make sure it covers all the bases in this way.
"Strawberry, in particular, is going terrific guns. While pear cider accounts for 50 per cent of our sales, the rest is accounted for by the other flavours. This shows that good innovation is proving popular."
On the danger of brand variations over-burdening the cider market: "Could cider go the way of RTDs? I doubt it. With RTDs, competition was only part of the issue. Cider does not have the negative PR issues that RTDs had.
"The market cannot keep expanding exponentially. It's likely that some ideas will drop off. But we will only be able to tell if that is the case six months down the line because cider remains quite seasonal.
"Part of the reason for launching brand extensions is to change that. That's why we did a toffee apple cider last autumn."
On a possible move to draught for Brothers: "We have been looking at it but at this point in time we are thinking not.
"We are targeting 18 to 34-year-olds who tend to have a bit higher income than your average draught cider consumer. Packaged cider is what they are looking for.
"Putting a cider brand on draught makes it more accessible and that's good for the whole category. However, the real drivers of growth are fruit ciders."
Aspall
Barry Chevallier Guild, co-owner
On 'me-too' products: "We are against bringing out products simply because that's where the market is. For example, we are not looking at extra cold draught, but what we are looking at is making a proper perry, as opposed to a modern pear cider. We have not cracked it yet, but it is an untapped type of cider.
"There's a risk of having too many me-too products. Of those pear ciders that are identical, some will not survive."
On stocking the right range: "It's important for retailers to be considered in what they take in. Do they need another pear cider? If they have a premium draught, do they need another?
"Otherwise you may have that thing the RTD market experienced, where there were too many products and they stopped making sense to the consumer.
"The optimum range would start with Magners or Bulmers Original with what is massively popular at the moment, and leave room for a discerning drinkers' cider.
"People seem to be drinking their way through mainstream products and are starting to look for alternatives."
On draught: "If your whole proposition is based around pouring from bottles over ice, it may confuse people to switch to draught."
Thatchers
Martin Thatcher, managing director
On stocking the right range: "The market has grown fuelled by Magners and Bulmers re-introducing people to cider, but we are now seeing those people starting to look at quality premium brands.
"So my recommendation would be lead with a mainstream brand such as Strongbow and have a premium on draught, such as Thatchers Gold.
"There are also a lot of opportunities for food pubs. They could advocate ciders to go with various food types."
On extra cold draught ciders: "With draught, unlike bottles from fridges, a cool temperature should be guaranteed. During summer, extra cold probably gives some extra refreshment but we will have to see how important that proves to be to consumers.
"Consumers nowadays prefer a cold pint. If you are looking to pull punters in from other product areas, you have to cater for what they are used to."
On brand variations: "If producers come up with genuinely innovative products, there's space for them and that will drive the category forward.
"We have been doing that for around 14 years with our single varietals. We started off with Katy, still the biggest seller, and want to create a range of good quality ciders that are genuinely different. I also admire Jacques, something new that has created a lot of interest.
"Producers have got to make sure they label products carefully because, if poorly executed, packaging spoils what could be a good product by confusing the consumer. We believe blueberry ciders, for instance, should more accurately be labelled 'cider with blueberry juice'."
St Helier (Intercontinental Brands)
Richard Luscombe, national sales manager, on-trade
On brand variations: "In these market conditions, once consumers adopt a brand they are likely to be well disposed to trying out new extensions under that banner.
"With consumers so well disposed to that, it is not surprising that we have seen so much innovation in recent times. But there is a limit, and what you might call 'short-term seasonal novelty products' should be avoided.
"Interestingly, consumers do not get wrapped up in these definitions. They just see new products and think of them as an interesting extension of a product that they already enjoy."
On local products gaining broader distribution: "Clearly there are some brands like Weston's Organic that might have been described as craft products and have done well, achieving a wider appreciation not only among connoisseurs, but also with mainstream consumers.
"That broadening of appeal reflects receptiveness among consumers towards cider products in general."
On extra cold draught ciders: "While the market for ciders from pears and other additional fruits is growing rapidly, for most outlets the throughputs will still be too low to justify the investment needed for draught dispense.
"Most outlets will be better off offering a range of bottled products rather than needing to work hard to justify the stocking of one brand on draught."
The Coronation Tap, Bristol
This specialist cider pub can be a barometer for popular ciders. While its biggest seller is house brand Exhibition, pressed exclusively for the pub by Thatchers, sales of other brands show the growing popularity of fruit varieties and extra cold draught.
The Coronation Tap offers around 15 brands at any one time. Licensee Mick Gale says Brothers Pear is proving popular, while strawberry ciders "don't go down too well". Single variety ciders, such as Thatchers' Katy range, are strong sellers - as is Jacques, "which people are buying to share instead of wine, especially women". Thatchers Ice Gold sold very poorly in winter, but the pub is now getting through four kegs a week.
While Gale says he would "give anything genuinely interesting that came on the scene a go," he beli