It’s been nearly a year since Monteith’s Crushed Apple Cider arrived on the market, refreshing Kiwi palates and invigorating a category that had been stagnant for many years.
But far from simply celebrating their success, or resting on their laurels, the Monteith’s brewers have been tinkering with recipes and working hard to perfect their next cider variant and cater for a growing demand for the historic drop which dates back to medieval times.
Their hard-work has paid off and Monteith’s Crushed Pear Cider is set to launch on 1st September 2010 in four-packs only, just in time for the summer months.
Monteith’s Crushed Pear Cider, like Crushed Apple cider doesn’t use concentrate to create it. Instead it’s made purely with sun ripened Nelson pears which are first crushed to release their juice, then directly fermented.
Because Monteith’s doesn’t use syrup concentrate, the end result is a lighter and truer cider And like its apple cousin, Monteith’s Crushed Pear Cider is best served over ice or enjoyed straight from the fridge.
Monteith’s marketing manager, Russell Browne says the recent growth in cider has been phenomenal given it wasn’t even a consideration for most people over a year ago.
“A year on, and thanks largely to Monteith’s Crushed Apple Cider, the image and appeal of cider has greatly improved to the extent it is now 1% of the total grocery alcohol value. In fact, our Monteith’s Crushed Apple Cider is now the most popular cider in New Zealand.
“International research shows cider sales are increasing year on in markets such as America, South Africa and Australia and we expect that to be the case in New Zealand thanks to innovations like ours including our new Monteith’s Crushed Pear Cider.”