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MacIvors Launches New Cider In Environmentally Friendly Cans

Award winning cider producer Mac Ivors in Northern Ireland has launched the first cider in a can.

The company, based near Portadown in Co Armagh, has developed a highly innovative Juicy Session Cider (ABV4.2%) in 330ml cans, a first for a Northern Irish cider maker. The cider has been developed specifically for cans and has already won business with Tesco Ireland and SPAR as well as many independent off licenses in the Republic of Ireland. Customers in Northern Ireland include Tesco and SuperValu as well as leading off licenses.

Greg MacNeice, a director of Mac Ivors, a family-owned business that’s been at the heart of apple growing and cider processing in Armagh for generations, explains: “We have created this cider to deliver real apple refreshment in an environmentally friendly can. Early feedback has been excellent and cider fans are dying to get their hands on this one!”

The delicious new cider, he continues, is a response to consumer tastes “gradually moving away from potent brews with high alcohol content to lower calorie drinks”. “We believe this new cider ticks all the right boxes and is a true taste of Irish cider,” he adds.

“It’s is a delicious, thirst-quenching medium dry cider with a simple and refreshing flavour profile. It is made exclusively from hand-picked, Irish-grown dessert apples such as Falstaff, Elstar, Allington Pippin and Golden delicious. Consumers will now have the option of an Irish cider with real apple taste, provenance, on trend packaging and low calorie count.

“Feedback from cider lovers is excellent. The cans, in addition, feature a brand new cider blend so even those established customers have something new to taste,” he adds.

The new cider is also available in a convenient pack of four environmentally friendly cans, another first for craft cider. Yet another first for Irish cider is its clear display ingredients and nutritional information. Each can has just 129 calories.

The new cider, in addition is both gluten free and vegan friendly. The packaging, furthermore, is environmentally friendly. The four-pack box is made from paper board and is fully recyclable with the added convenience of a carry slot.

The MacNeice family has been growing apples in Armagh for 160 years and has vast knowledge of and experience in apple processing. The company has collected a host of national and international awards for its range of ciders. These includethree gold medals in the prestigious International Brewing Awards 2013 as well as UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards.

Mr MacNeice, an experienced cider maker, launched the first beverage on the back of extensive market research in the UK, France and the US.

The company is also now a leading exporter of cider to European markets as well as Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The ciders are cold-pressed and slow fermented over eight months to ensure the outstanding flavour that customers appreciate. It uses 100 per cent fresh-pressed apple juice, natural yeasts and light carbonation to preserve the distinctive aroma of the fruit. They are completely natural products. Slow, cool fermentation locks in the rich fruit flavours.