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UK– Heineken UK is expanding its Strongbow brand with the introduction of a new strawberry-flavored cider, aiming to invigorate the cider category and meet the growing consumer demand for berry-flavored beverages.
The new Strongbow Strawberry cider, with an ABV of 4%, combines the crisp taste of apple cider with the natural flavors of wild strawberries and strawberry fruit juice. It boasts no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or colors and is both gluten-free and vegan.
“Strongbow Strawberry is set to elevate our refreshing and great-tasting cider range ahead of the peak summer season,” said Rachel Holms, cider brand director at Heineken UK.
“As the most popular profile in flavored cider, Strongbow Strawberry has seen incredible consumer testing results. Our aim is to attract new consumers into the cider category, especially those craving fresh innovation and new flavor experiences.”
This launch follows the recent introduction of Strongbow Zest in March, a cider that blends apple cider with lime, lemon, and orange flavors.
Strongbow Strawberry is available in both can and bottle formats and can currently be purchased at Tesco stores across the UK, with a wider rollout expected in the coming months.
In addition to expanding its product offerings, Heineken has successfully completed its first large-scale regenerative agriculture barley harvest in Europe through its Transitions program, in collaboration with French cooperative Vivescia and its malt subsidiary Malteurop.
This initiative involves around 200 Vivescia member farmers in northeastern France, covering approximately 25,000 hectares, who have adopted regenerative farming practices to enhance soil health, biodiversity, climate resilience, and water resources.
Heineken plans to extend this program to include 500 farmers by 2025 and up to 1,000 farmers by 2026, spanning 100,000 hectares.
Furthermore, Heineken is set to invest US$42.49 million to refurbish hundreds of sites across the UK and reopen 62 pubs that had closed in recent years.
This investment aims to rejuvenate the UK pub industry, which has faced significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic pressures.
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