​​Top cider maker invests in new Bramley Barn to grow business

The family farm has just created a new visitor experience nestled in the heart of their orchard which produces its annually award-winning ciders, juices and apple cider vinegar.

“This is a very important investment by us to enhance the services we provide to visitors and also to other businesses and organisations seeking a purpose-built venue in a picturesque location in one of our apple orchards,” explains Catherine

McKeever, who runs the enterprising company with husband Pat, son Peter and daughter Alanna.

“We needed a bespoke area within our family orchard as we are welcoming tours from home and abroad. We now have visitors from many parts of the world. They visit Long Meadow to hear about growing apples, including Irish Bramleys with their EU PGI status, and to enjoy our ciders and juices and also to experience our unique traditional Irish soda bread and apple pie,” adds Catherine.

The farm business has won a host of UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann awards especially for its range of ciders.

The new glass-fronted building offers views of the apple orchards and will shortly include a purpose-designed kitchen that will offer guests a range of locally-sourced foods and a place where they can also try their hand at making traditional soda bread.

The McKeever family at Long Meadow work closely with Tourism NI, Tourism Ireland, Visit Armagh, The Armagh Food Heartland and The Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council on a range of initiatives including the upcoming annual Armagh Food and Cider Festival. The colourful weekend takes place from September 7-10.

Brimming with fine foods, foraged lunches, cider tasting, tours, talks and fiction amongst the apple-laden orchards.

“We are already seeing a lot of interest in hiring out our new glass fronted Bramley Barn for all types of business meetings. There have also been initial approaches to hold weddings, as it’s a tremendous venue especially when the weather, of course, is favourable. Nevertheless, it is a very special, private, bespoke and immensely comfortable indoor facility for a range of events,” continues Catherine.

Long Meadow, in addition, has strengthened its export sales to France as a result of contacts in the nation which has a strong cider marking tradition.

“We’ve been exporting our ciders to France for some considerable time,” Catherine says. “The latest approach from a distributor has resulted in our products on the shelves in Provence.”

The company also sells its ciders in the Republic of Ireland.

A Food NI member, Long Meadow is focused on driving sales of its ciders, juices and apple cider vinegar especially outside Northern Ireland.

An integral part of this sharp focus is the extensive investment in the new Bramley Barn, an imaginative development funded entirely by the family enterprise that also celebrates the historic local apple variety.

The family launched the business to harvest the potential of their own apples which had originally been shipped to make cider outside Northern Ireland.

Long Meadow has a rich heritage in apple growing stretching back three generations in county Armagh and has won significant business from hotels, delis, independent retailers, restaurants and bars for its premium quality craft ciders and apple juices.

The enterprising family grows and harvests apples from upwards of 85 acres, 30 of which are on the home farm.

The successful decision to diversify from growing apples into the production of cider, juices and apple cider vinegar followed extensive market research and substantial investment on the development of an innovative range of products and processes.

Long Meadow ciders and juices are processed using pure pressed apple juice. The company does not use concentrates, chemicals, or added water. Small batches are produced using a unique and slow fermentation process for even greater flavour.

As a result of its enterprise and ongoing investment in the business, Long Meadow is now a central player in our buoyant cider sector, the quality and taste of which have won acclaim from experts in Britain and further afield. In addition to its ciders and juices, Long Meadow has harnessed the colourful orchards to host successful public events such as a sound and lights show and only last year Cirque de Cider.