Cider maker Greg’s can-do approach to the virus challenge to business

Armagh cider maker Greg Mac Neice has addressed the business challenges of Covid-19 by investing in Mac Ivors Cider, his family business in Portadown, in the development and launch of an innovative product new to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Greg, who has recently finished supervising the harvest in the family’s orchards, has introduced the first cider in handy cans for shoppers as the company’s longstanding business in hotels, restaurants and bars has been shuttered once again by the latest round of coronavirus restrictions.

“This is always a very busy time for us as we harvest the apple crop for this year,” he says. “The crop is better than expected given that there was a late frost. We’ll certainly have plenty of fresh apples for our cider processing operations and for our customers both here and in the Republic, a key market for us.”

The advent of Covid-19, he admits, has meant new challenges for the successful cider business that’s focused on innovative taste experiences, the latest being the creation of a new cider in environmentally friendly cans.

“While the latest restrictions are another setback for everyone in food and drink supplying hotels and restaurants here, I had been working on the new cans and a different cider long before the first coronavirus outbreak hit Ireland,” he explains.

“This meant, of course, that supermarkets and independent off licences increased in importance, the original target markets for the cans. I decided to push forward with the development of a brand new cider, which I’ve named Juicy Sessions, and the canning project. This is a significant development for us at this immensely challenging time.”

The new environmentally friendly cans have enabled the small company to pivot its business and to expand its retail sales. And it’s clearly working well for the enterprising small company. Export sales have already been racked up with top retailers Tesco Ireland and Spar as well as well as many independent off licenses in the Republic of Ireland. Customers in Northern Ireland include Tesco and SuperValu as well as leading off licenses.

“Early feedback has been excellent and cider fans are dying to get their hands on this original product. They love the new cider and particularly the convenience of the cans,” he continues.

His decision to move into cans was shaped by market research which pinpointed an opportunity for the product. The new cider, he continues, is also a response to consumer tastes “gradually moving away from potent brews with high alcohol content to lower calorie drinks”.

“We believe this new cider ticks all the right boxes and is a true taste of Irish cider,” he adds. “This innovative product, in addition, is both gluten free and vegan friendly. The four-pack box is made from paper board and is fully recyclable with the added convenience of a carry slot. I’ve blended it as a thirst-quenching medium dry cider with a simple and refreshing flavour profile. The cider is cold pressed exclusively from hand-picked, Irish-grown dessert apples such as Falstaff, Elstar, Allington Pippin and Golden Delicious. My aim was to provide consumers with the option of an Irish cider with real apple taste, provenance, low in calories and bang on-trend with environmentally-friendly packaging.”

He’s produced the new cider in a convenient pack of four cans, another first for craft cider, for consumers to enjoy at home. Yet another first for Irish cider is its transparency with a clear display of ingredients and nutritional information. The cider has just 129 calories.

The ciders are all cold-pressed and slow fermented over eight months to ensure outstanding flavour for customers. The company uses 100 percent fresh-pressed apple juice, natural yeasts and light carbonation to preserve the distinctive taste and aroma of the fruit. The ciders are completely natural products. Slow, cool fermentation locking in the rich fruit flavours, he explains.

Greg draws on the heritage, experience and vast reservoir of knowledge of his family which has been growing apples in Armagh for over 160 years. The family planted its first orchard in county Armagh back in 1855 and currently farms 100 acres near the National Trust’s Ardress House. The cider has achieved widespread recognition for taste and quality especially in drink competitions. These include three gold medals in the prestigious International Brewing Awards as well as UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann Irish Food awards.

Greg, an experienced cider maker, launched the first beverage on the back of extensive market research in the UK, France and the US.

The company is also now a leading exporter of cider to European markets as well as Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

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