Heineken phases out original Strongbow Hard Cider recipe with new flavors
Strongbow Gold Apple, Honey & Apple varieties also showcase new look
White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA, which acquired import rights to the Strongbow Hard Cider brand in January 2013, is phasing out the original Strongbow Hard Cider recipe and replacing it with new Strongbow Gold Apple Hard Cider and Strongbow Honey & Apple Hard Cider. The new ciders will begin appearing at on- and off-premise accounts this month, says Alejandra de Obeso, Strongbow brand director. In turn, the original Strongbow hard cider is expected to be completely phased out at retail before the end of April, she notes.
Strongbow Gold Apple offers a balanced, crisp apple taste that captures the sweet and tart notes of the Golden Delicious apple along with hints of Honeycrisp apple and pear, while Honey & Apple blends fresh apple taste with honey to create the new flavor, the company says. The inclusion of honey is new to the hard cider category and is expected to attract new consumers to the brand and the category, de Obeso adds. In a blind taste test conducted last year by Rogil Research, both men and women noted that they strongly preferred the new crisp, refreshing flavor profile of Strongbow Gold Apple, the company says.