Cider family buoyed by Amazon UK listing in vibrant market in Britain

Long Meadow Cider in Armagh is toasting a major retail success in Britain from pivoting its business to meet the serious challenges posed by the shuttering of bars and hotels due to the Covid pandemic lockdowns.

Catherine McKeever, who owns and runs Long Meadow, the family orchard farm business, with husband Pat and son Peter, has just seen a major breakthrough in Britain from a listing with Amazon UK for its award-winning range of craft ciders processed from apples grown in the family orchards at Loughgall, near Portadown.

The listing means cider enthusiasts throughout Britain are now able to enjoy a portfolio of Long Meadow products such as the fruity Berry Blast, Blossom Burst and Rhubarb and Honey in addition to the traditional Dry and Medium ciders which have won national awards for quality and outstanding taste.

The small artisan venture also produces apple cider vinegar and apple juices which aren’t included in the Amazon listing…yet!

Catherine is understandably “thrilled” to have achieved such a significant breakthrough with Amazon, the UK’s biggest online retailer and an integral part of a global leading business. The Amazon group also has stores in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, and Japan. The pandemic has also strengthened the web-based operation’s food and drink business.

“It’s a major breakthrough for us in Britain, a hugely competitive market which we’ve been targeting in our focus on measures to grow our sales over the past few years and especially, of course, during the coronavirus pandemic has led to the closure of the bars, hotels and restaurants, particularly in Northern Ireland, which purchased our handcrafted ciders,” Catherine explains.

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are the company’s key markets.

The important listing with Amazon, Catherine continues, followed an introduction from Ryan McCracken of McCracken’s Real Ale in Portadown, a longstanding business friend and neighbour. It’s also an excellent example of the collaboration between artisan and smaller food ventures within the Armagh, Bainbridge and Craigavon Council’s imaginative Food Heartland scheme that promotes and supports local food and drink producers. Both companies are also Food NI members.

Catherine explains: “Ryan made an introduction for us to Copperstar, an artisan producer of beers and spirits on the Wirral, near Liverpool, which has also listed his artisan beers.

“As Copperstar didn’t have craft ciders in their portfolio they were keen on the quality and outstanding taste of our products. Our discussions led to a listing with them, and we were delighted by their interest in our craft ciders.

“They also offered us the facility of our craft cider range being listed on Amazon, an exciting opportunity we obviously jumped at, through their business with the very influential and successful online retailer.

“As a result of both listings with Copperstar and Amazon, orders for our ciders are now coming in regularly from Britain. 

“This is a tremendous boost to our family enterprise considering the Covid pandemic and lockdowns closed the hospitality sector, one of our most important sources of business especially in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland,” adds Catherine.

Faced with the closure of hospitality customers, Long Meadow stepped up its marketing activities to increase sales to retail outlets in Northern Ireland and further afield.

“The Amazon and Copperstar listings offer a doorway to new customers in Britain who can now receive our products straight to their door. We also currently have an offer on our website for our 10 litre container of apple cider vinegar,” adds Catherine.

Long Meadow has a heritage in apple growing stretching back three generations in county Armagh and has already won business from delis, independent retailers, restaurants and bars in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The enterprising family grows and harvests apples from upwards of 120 acres of orchards, 30 of which are on the home farm at Loughgall. Native Bramley apples, which have EU PGI status, and other locally grown apples from a network of trusted growers are used in cider processing.

Long Meadow ciders and juices are processed exclusively using pure pressed apple juice. The focus is on natural products without use of concentrates, chemicals or added water. Small batches are produced on the farm using a unique slow fermentation process for greater flavour.

In addition to its processing operation, the enterprising company has developed farm tours to showcase its products and products through Grand Circle Travel American tours. These have also been paused due to the pandemic.

Long Meadow was established in 2014 to craft ciders, juices and apple cider vinegar on the back of a family heritage of growing applies for more than 50 years.

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