Strongbow Hard Ciders, a brand of White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA, is bringing back by popular demand Original Dry. In more than 160,000 social media mentions since it was discontinued, more than 100,000 of consumers have been asking for the original flavor, a dry hard cider made with a mixture of bittersweet and culinary apples for a crisp, less sweet taste, the company says.
Like all Strongbow products, Original Dry contains no artificial flavors or colors, and it has a 5 percent alcohol by volume content. It will be available nationally starting in June 2018 in 16.9-ounce single serve cans and four-packs of 16.9-ounce cans.
"We’re bringing back the less sweet, original hard cider that so many devoted Strongbow consumers have been asking for," said Jessica Robinson, vice president of portfolio brands at Heineken USA, in a statement.
“The makers of Strongbow have over 125 years of cider making heritage in the U.K., and the brand is England’s No. 1 Dry Cider,” she continues citing Canadean 2016 global volume data. “We’re bringing this flavor back to the U.S. to provide our consumers with the drier, crisp and refreshing taste of Strongbow they’ve been pressing us for.”
Strongbow Original Dry 16.9-ounce cans will be available first in on-premise accounts starting in June to meet the needs of consumers seeking new tastes and engaging experiences, the company says. Expansion to off-premise locations will soon follow. The launch will be supported by a full visibility program with new point-of-sales elements. A 360-degree marketing plan will build awareness through highly targeted digital, social, and public relations engagement focused specifically around Strongbow fans.
Strongbow Original Dry will replace the 14.9-ounce Gold Apple can, the company adds.