The craft cider category has seen strong growth over the last 12 months, and Devon-based Sandford Orchards is reporting record sales and new retail listings.
And now the company has launched a ‘Cider Done Right’ multi-media campaign to try to bring its cider to an even wider audience.
Sandford Orchards ran their first ever ‘above the line’ campaign last year. It was so successful that they are repeating the exercise this year, but extending it to other regions to reflect their growing off-trade distribution.
It will feature Devon Red cider, hazy Devon Mist, and rising star Red Zero, the non-alcoholic version of Devon Red that was named best in the world at the World Alcohol Free Awards and the World Cider Awards. It will feature on billboards and buses throughout Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Bristol, and Bath.
There will also be a competition as part of the campaign, to let people experience ‘cider done right’ for themselves, with hundreds of cases of Devon Red and Red Zero up for grabs, along with a Red Equipment cooler bag filled with cider.
“Despite wider economic uncertainty, it has been heartening to see that cider is having a moment,” said Barny Butterfield, chief cidermaker at Sandford Orchards. “In particular, consumers are seeking out craft cider, and this has meant that in 2025 more pints of our authentic, award-winning cider were consumed than ever before.
“In the last 12 months, we’ve gained listings in Tesco and Sainsbury’s, to add to our presence in John Lewis, Morrisons, Co-op, and Spar, and we’ve welcomed lots of new fans. We’re delighted to be outperforming a buoyant category but we are never ones to rest on our laurels, hence our new campaign which launches in May and runs right through the summer.”
He added: “Our campaign headline, ‘Cider Done Right’, reflects our natural, low-impact method of creating outstanding cider. Our cider is pressed from locally grown cider apples and fermented and matured from their fresh, not concentrated, juice. We believe that it is second to none and we’ve got the awards and reviews to prove it.
“We just want to bring the joy of this fabulous cider to as many people as possible, and we’re hoping that our new campaign will help us do just that.”
