Brothers unveiled as Official Cider of Glastonbury Festival
(From left to right): Jonathan Showering, Francis Showering, and Michael Eavis, Creator of Glastonbury Festival, Matthew Showering, and Daniel Showering from Brothers Cider pictured together by The West Holts stage, where it all began.
Brothers Cider is set to headline as the official cider brand at Glastonbury Festival 2022.
Celebrating 27 years at the festival, Brothers Festival Apple Cider will be served at over 100 bars this year during the five-day event, alongside a number of other festival favourites from its portfolio including Brothers Toffee Apple and Wild Fruit.
This will be the second year of the official partnership agreement with the festival, which is making its return to Worthy Farm, just three miles away from the home of Brothers Drinks Co. in Shepton Mallet, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
Brothers Cider will be supporting the partnership by launching a series of customer activations across the UK and giving away thousands of prizes through on-pack promotions including 10 pairs of Glastonbury tickets for the sold-out festival.
A social media competition via the Brothers Instagram and Facebook pages will provide another much sought after opportunity to win an additional pair of Glastonbury tickets.
Michael Eavis, creator of Glastonbury Festival, commented: “Local provenance and heritage is important to us, so we love having a Somerset cider producer at the Festival to showcase some of the best this county has to offer. Brothers Cider is produced less than three miles from the Festival site and we have proudly welcomed them every year for the last 27 years.”
Matthew Showering, managing director of Showerings Cider Mill, said" “We are honoured to be returning to Glastonbury Festival this year. Having introduced Brothers Cider to Glastonbury back in 1995, the festival holds a special place in our hearts. This partnership is sentimental for our brand and our heritage as a local Somerset producer.
“Festivals are part of our DNA and this festival season is set to be one of celebration and people coming together again so putting our brand at the heart of these moments will not only allow us to provide a great experience to festival-goers but drive affinity with the Brothers brand. We can’t wait to welcome festival-goers back and bring them a season full of fun and flavour.”
As part of its ongoing strategy for growth, Brothers Cider will also be served at over 80 UK events in 2022, connecting with over five million people.
Glastonbury Festival 2022 will take place between 22nd-26th June at Worthy Farm, Somerset with headline acts including Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar already confirmed.
Diablo, the producer of disobediently good wines, has inked a partnership with new musical The Devil Wears Prada, which makes its UK debut in London this month.
Diablo (which means "devil" in Spanish) will feature on programmes, and competitions will be run to award tickets for the shows, which run until 31 May 2025. Diablo wines will also be poured at Elton John’s Opening Night Gala at the British Museum in London on 1 December, where a bespoke "Diablo" bar will be built.
The Devil Wears Prada Musical is a new stage adaptation of the popular 2006 film, itself based on Lauren Weisberger's novel.
The Diablo wine brand, first launched in 2018, is growing at a phenomenal rate in the UK, +33.4 per cent by value in the past 52 weeks. It has successfully introduced new wines into its portfolio, with the original Diablo Dark Red being joined by Chardonnay, and most recently Purple Malbec, Volcanic Cab and Deep Carmenere, all listed in major multiple grocers.
Diablo is attracting a distinctive younger and more affluent shopper (45 per cent of its shoppers are under 45 versus 14 per cent of shoppers across total still wine).
“This is an incredibly exciting time for the brand," said Javiera Moller, Senior Brand Manager at Concha y Toro UK. "The Devil Wears Prada is an iconic and much-loved story, now brought to life on the London stage with a star cast and a great score by Elton John, and the 'devil' connection makes it a perfect partner for our brand.
“Our audience are disruptive, intelligent, stylish and early adopters of brands and trends. This partnership gives us the chance to activate with our target consumers, and build the profile of an already-thriving wine brand.”
From its initial launch in 2018 with Diablo Dark Red blend, the brand now has six wines in multiple retail distribution in the UK:
Diablo Dark Red
Diablo Volcanic Cabernet Sauvignon
Diablo Purple Malbec
Diablo Deep Carmenere
Diablo Golden Chardonnay
Diablo Crystal Sauvignon Blanc
The brand has grown from £2 million in retail sales value in the UK less than five years ago to be worth over £20 million today (RSV).
Tilda has announced the launch of its 2024 limited-edition tin, created in collaboration with Lovo, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering and inspiring women and their families.
The tin will be available from November at independent retailers, offered free with a 2kg purchase of Tilda Pure Basmati Rice for a limited time only.
Designed to celebrate diversity and women’s empowerment, the tin features intricate patterns that embody sisterhood, while its vibrant flora and fauna reflect community and personal growth. The striking colour palette of green, yellow, pink, and blue conveys strength and gratitude—values that resonate deeply within the Lovo community.
Not only is this tin visually captivating, but it is also practical, making it an ideal storage solution for rice while symbolising support for a noble cause.
To commemorate the launch, Tilda and Lovo hosted a celebratory event on 26 September, unveiling the limited-edition tin to over 150 attendees, including the mayor of Southwark, Naima Ali. Highlights of the event included a keynote address from a financial expert, a global lunch featuring Jollof rice and biryani, lively performances by drummers and dancers, and a special moment where guests were encouraged to write their dreams and aspirations for the future on a symbolic ‘Tree of Aspiration’ that stood at the heart of the celebration.
“This vibrant tin reflects the varied cultures and communities that Tilda serves. Rice is such an integral part of meals worldwide, and we are thrilled to partner with Lovo, an organisation that aligns perfectly with our values of diversity and empowerment.” Anna Beheshti, head of marketing at Tilda, said.
Ola Stephen, founder and director of Lovo, added, “The tin is a true celebration of diversity. It is not only beautiful but also embodies the spirit of the community we are nurturing together.”
Last month, Tilda announced a £10,000 donation to support Lovo’s initiatives.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK is pleased to introduce this year’s limited-edition pack for its ever-popular Henri Wintermans Half Corona brand, which is available to retailers now.
The Henri Wintermans Half Corona is easily the biggest brand in the medium / large segment and is now the UK’s fifth biggest selling cigar in value terms, with annual sales worth £16.3m. This new limited edition "Gentleman" pack adds a personal touch to the brand and celebrates its long heritage and continuing success, designed in a timeless pin stripe suit with the logo and information stitched into the fabric, which reflects both the aspirational nature of the product and the attention to detail that goes into crafting these fine cigars. Despite the changes to the packaging, the cigars inside of course remain the same.
“Retailers certainly won’t need me to tell them that sales of larger cigars go up in the build up to Christmas when adult smokers are in celebratory mood and typically have more time to enjoy them," said STG’s UK Head of Marketing, Prianka Jhingan. "Our Henri Wintermans Half Corona is always a big seller at this time of year and this limited issue Gentleman’s edition pack should only increase sales further. My advice to retailers is to stock up on it, as it is easily the UK’s best-selling medium / large cigar and has a loyal following due to its quality blend and heritage.”
Häagen-Dazs ice cream has unveiled its latest Limited Edition Festive Collection, designed to cater to shoppers looking for the perfect, seasonal treat. The collection is launching in grocery throughout October, helping retailers tap into the "big night in" occasion, which is expected to ramp up across the month with longer evenings and increased at-home entertaining.
The range features two indulgent SKUs: the return of fan-favourite Red Velvet Cheesecake, and new Mint Chocolate, a luxurious version of a much-loved classic. The collection is well positioned to meet demand for familiar tastes: two thirds of UK adults say they look for high-quality ice cream in well-known and classic flavours , with nostalgic and premium ice cream driving category growth.
Red Velvet Cheesecake (460ml, RRP from £5.40) Red Velvet Cheesecake combines two beloved desserts – the luxurious taste of red velvet cake with the creamy tang of cheesecake. The fresh cream cheese ice cream, enriched with thick red velvet cocoa swirls and cakey crumble pieces, offers a decadent experience that consumers will find perfect for concluding any festive dinner.
Mint Chocolate (460ml, RRP from £5.40) Tapping into festive nostalgia, Häagen-Dazs introduces Mint Chocolate, a flavour that encapsulates the essence of winter. The combination of refreshing mint and rich chocolate is elevated by adding crunchy chocolate pieces and swirls of chocolate mint sauce, transforming a household favourite into a luxurious dessert experience. This limited edition promises to appeal to consumers looking for a classic flavour with a premium twist.
"Every year we delight in treating lovers of Häagen-Dazs to seasonal scoops that add a bit of sparkle to the festive period," said Nicole Whelan, Head of Brand at Häagen-Dazs UK. "Our 2024 collection has been carefully curated to tap into demand for indulgent yet classic flavours and is therefore perfectly placed to help our retailer partners drive sales.
“With the exclusivity of a seasonal launch combined with our signature quality, unparalleled taste and stunning shelf appeal, we’re confident the flavours will be a feature in festive baskets throughout the limited run.”
The Häagen-Dazs Festive Collection will be available across key grocery accounts nationally and supported with in-store activity to drive engagement across the season. A social media campaign will also run in unison to maximise shopper visibility and sales potential for retailers.
WKD X, the caffeine-containing 7% ABV innovative sub-brand from the leading RTD, is building on the strong successes achieved since its 2022 launch with the introduction of two additional flavour variants and its first dedicated media campaign.
Drawing its inspiration from the energy drinks category, WKD X variants contain caffeine, guarana and taurine, and compete in the fast-growing ‘enhanced RTD’ segment of the overall alcoholic ready-to-drink category.
The two all-new flavours – Purple Grape and Citrus Ice – join the existing line-up of Blue Raspberry, Mango Passion, and Dark Berry, available in 500ml single cans.
Having extended the offering only last year from an initial two variants launched in 2022 to three flavours, this latest range expansion to five enticing fruit flavours is testimony to both WKD X’s success to date and to the importance that brand owner SHS Drinks attributes to the continued market potential of high energy/higher ABV ‘enhanced RTDs’.
New WKD X Purple Grape and WKD X Citrus Ice complement the existing variants, further bolstering the range’s on-shelf presence and, importantly, reflecting flavours which are trending in both drinks and non-drink categories. The new variants will initially be offered in £2.99 price-marked cans only, mirroring the importance and appeal of PMP offerings in the impulse channel, the real heartland for ‘enhanced RTD’ sales.
Aligning with the launch of the new flavours, this autumn also marks the appearance of the first-ever ad campaign for WKD X. Appearing across 1200 poster sites UK-wide for a high-profile three-week burst from late October into November, two forthright and confident executions will build awareness of the existing SKUs.
Using bold colourways and impactful capital letters, 6-sheet poster sites nationwide will proclaim ‘SHOUT OUT TO OUR X-ES’ or declare ‘SO XTRA’, alongside pack imagery of the already-established Blue Raspberry, Mango Passion, and Dark Berry flavour variants. Augmenting the out-of-home campaign, WKD X will also benefit from significant social media and influencer-related activity throughout the autumn.
WKD X volumes are currently growing 88 per cent year-on-year [Nielsen GB MAT to 10.08.24] and 106 per cent over the last quarter. This strong upward trajectory is set to benefit from a notable further step-change with a new listing in Morrisons Daily stores coming on stream this month [October]. Two WKD X variants – Blue Raspberry, and Mango Passion – are to be stocked in 650 of the chain’s outlets.
“WKD X has proven to be a great success since its introduction. The 18 to 24-year-old core target audience has really bought into what the range stands for: a convenient way to get a caffeine fix. Consumers are well versed in mixing alcoholic drinks with energy drinks but WKD X delivers the convenience of a pre-mixed format from a nationally recognised brand that’s known and loved,” Alison Gray, head of brand – WKD at SHS Drinks, said.
“The further expansion of WKD X to five variants, with the addition of the new Purple Grape and Citrus Ice flavours, emphasises conclusively both our commitment to the range and consumers’ overwhelmingly positive reaction to developments so far. Our striking new poster ads are going to build even greater awareness and help elevate WKD X to the next level.”