Heineken USA to Add Cider Brand to Portfolio

Heineken USA will add Strongbow cider to its portfolio as of Jan. 1, 2013. The White Plains, N.Y.-based importer expects that the brand will further complement its already diverse product portfolio, which currently includes Heineken, Dos Equis, Newcastle and Amstel Light.

Strongbow, the No. 2 cider brand in the United States, is a crisp premium imported cider from the United Kingdom, and the leading cider brand worldwide. For nearly a decade, Heineken N.V. has teamed with the Middlebury-based Vermont Hard Cider Co. to distribute Strongbow in the rapidly growing U.S. cider market.

“There is tremendous opportunity to build on the momentum that the Vermont Hard Cider team created over the last nine years,” noted Dolf van den Brink, president and CEO of Heineken USA "We see this as a pivotal moment to further accelerate Strongbow’s growth by supporting the brand with the full weight of Heineken USA’s resources and capabilities. By growing our core and investing in innovation, we will continue to enhance our position as the industry’s leading upscale importer.”

Heineken USA will position Strongbow as the top upscale cider brand, offering both male and female consumers an alternative alcoholic beverage option. The company will finalize its pricing, distribution and marketing plans before the official product lauch, at which time consumers will be able to buy 6-packs of 12-ounce bottles and 4-packw of 16.9-milliliter cans at retail.

Since 2011, Heineken USA has added to its portfolio such other new brands as the Newcastle Limited Editions, Amstel Wheat, Indio and the forthcoming Tecate Michelada.