Westons revamps low-ABV Stowford

Westons is relaunching its low-alcohol Stowford Press variant as part of a raft of measures across its portfolio in time for the summer cider drinking boom.

Stowford Press LA is being rebranded as Stowford Press 0.5% in new-look 500ml bottles, in order to clear up consumer confusion around the low-ABV cider offer and to emphasise that it is part of the Stowford Press family of brands, said marketing communications manager Heather Mead.

"People weren't sure what LA stood for and weren't connecting the lower alcohol offer with the Stowford Press brand," she said. "So we have repositioned it, given it a new look and made it a much clearer proposition."

The company is also investing in the first above-the-line campaign for Stowford Press. A regional poster campaign will run throughout July in the brand's Midlands heartland, emphasising the range's taste credentials and the fact that it is made with real apples.

The company is also launching its first range of seasonal ciders, Westons Cider Twist, to capitalise on the growth in fruit-flavoured ciders, said Mead. The first, Cider Twist Raspberry, will appear from 3 May and will be available in the on-trade only in 20-litre bag-in-boxes to be sold on draught.

"We have made just one batch of the Twist Raspberry as we wanted the seasonal range to be a limited edition offer. We wanted to build an air of exclusivity around it as well as injecting excitement into the category," said Mead.

An autumn cider is currently being developed to replace the summer raspberry offer once it has sold out and a winter one will follow on from that.