Media Release

Award-winning craft brewer enters cider market

PERTH: One of Australia’s most awarded breweries, Feral Brewing Company, has entered the highly competitive cider market with the announcement today of the release of Feral Beral Cider.

This much anticipated move comes after a period of extensive market research by the Swan Valley based brewer. Research showed that while Feral’s core beer products appealed to discerning drinkers of both genders, they where missing out on a significant market of “18-40 Mainstream Bingers”.

“This is clearly a new approach for us,” said Steve Finney, Feral’s Sales and Marketing Manager.

“Up until now we have relied on the instinct of our brewers to create beers that have gone on to find a place in the market, however, as we have grown we have had to look at different approaches. The more scientific approach we took to the development of Feral Beral is the way see our business heading in the future.

“While the Feral brand has been built on a meticulous attention to the craft of brewing – and it has lead to many awards – it has precluded us from reaching a more broad, mainstream, and profitable mass market.”

The release marks the end of a long period of lobbying by the brewer to have the “Olde Englishish” variety officially recognised by the Australian Cider Society (ACS).1

“As the cider market becomes flooded with brands, the ACS has recognised the need to create categories that allow manufacturers to take full advantage of cheap constituted apple juices. Obviously ‘Chinese Cider’ isn’t as desirable to our target audience as something that is reminiscent of the traditional home of cider,” said Finney.

“By reconstituting these juices and adding sweeteners, we were able to create a very cost-effect product and a taste profile that appeals to those that are interested in consuming their alcoholic beverages in bulk,” commented Feral’s Cheif Brewer Brendan Varis,

It’s not something that I would choose to drink, but it makes economic sense and it is an approach that I am excited to pursue on the beer side of the business if this proves successful which all our data suggests it will.

“The reality is that creating fresh, local products will only take you so far and my ambitions for Feral are global,” concluded Varis.