Demand rises for budget drinks as Casella Family Brands revamps its Pressman’s cider range and launches a four-can 375ml pack to meet market needs.
“We needed a can format to capture outdoor occasions,” said Casella Family brand manager Alana Cauchi. “We launched in the 10-pack just before Christmas, but then, this whole notion of consumers trading down was starting to become evident. So, we were like, okay, maybe we need a smaller format and, four-pack of cans were created,” she said.
There are several benefits to having a smaller-sized range, they are lightweight, easily stored, and cost-effective. The decision to launch a smaller and more portable can format was in direct response to consumer behaviour shifts.
More Australians are spending time outdoors than ever before, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Australians are spending more time outdoors, especially after Covid,” said Cauchi.
This has contributed to increased demand for budget-friendly and compact cider formats she remarked. According to Ray Morgan’s Alcohol Consumption Report, Australians are consuming more read-to-drinks (RTDs) than ever before, with consumption increasing from 2,138,000 (10.8 per cent) pre-pandemic to 4,319,000 (21.0 per cent) in late 2023.
“I think Australia is the biggest RTD market and that just goes to show how much time we’re spending outside,” she says.
Australia is the third-largest RTD market in the world for highest per capita consumption rates.
“So not just, you know, doing sports and whatnot, but all our social occasions are outside. Like hanging by the beach or having picnics or just being outdoors in your backyard barbecues,” said Cauchi.
The rise of budget-friendly cider
Pressman’s Cider caters to Australian consumers by recognising that convenience and competitive pricing are important.
“Consumers are really looking for value for money,” Cauchi said. “What we’re seeing across other categories is that consumers that used to buy a case of product would then trade down to a 10 pack. Those who’d buy a 10 pack would generally trade down purely based on, just cost of living prices.”
“So having a four-pack at $12 is a really compelling proposition for people. The four-pack is really at a strong price point, not many of our competitors are in that format as well, so that’ll give us a nice competitive edge.”
Supporting local and sustainability
Another factor to consider when producing cider is macro trends – Australians love products made in Australia.
“Australians are loving supporting local – and Pressman’s is 100 per cent Australian owned and made,” said Cauchi.
The Casella Family Brand was founded in Australia and is a hundred per cent Australian-owned. All the brand’s products are made in Yenda Victoria and are sourced locally using a third party “to help us find the best and crispiest apples” remarked Cauchi.
The Casella Family Brand plays a significant role in creating Australian jobs, employing over 800 people across various sectors. The company operates both a brewery and a winery located in Yenda. Staff move between the different processes of wine, beer, and RTD beverages Cauchi remarked. Down to the packaging – Pressman keeps its consumers and the environment in mind.
“Both the cans and the board are fully recyclable, and we’ve used minimal plastics as well,” Cauchi said.
According to a survey by Statistica Research Department, in 2022 38 per cent of Australian consumers indicated that they always considered sustainability in their purchase decisions.
“The beauty of our four-pack is obviously the aluminium can, then we use board for the four packs – not plastic shrink wrap, and then even the cases are also board.”
Making your product stand out on the shelf can be difficult, Cauchi recommends distinguishing your cider through brightly coloured packaging.
“The rest of the cider category, when you have a look at everything in the fridge, you see your flavours that are, your reds, your blues, and like, okay, now when you really need to queue apple.”
Standing out in a competitive market
In Australia, according to a Statistica 2024 survey, RTDs are primarily consumed by 18–24-year-olds, so choosing bright fun colours may be the key to being successful in the cider market.
“We’ve got bright eye-catching colours that really stand out on the shelf as well and I think we did a good job at combining those traditional cider hues with a fresh, modern look,” said Couchi. “What’s unique about it is that I haven’t seen many four-pack cans in the market by the bigger players – like your summer spears, your strong bows, your quarter leagues.”
Cauchi believes that this product is a big step for Pressman’s and that it will have a competitive edge.
“I think that we’re still such a tiny brand not many people know about us, so hopefully this will help us get distribution. Cause we have a fantastic liquid, it’s not too dry, it’s a beautiful drink, really delicious, so I think when people try it people will love it,” she said.