Northern Irish cider maker expands operations and targets Britain

Tempted? one of Northern Ireland's leading cider processors, has expanded its production process and launched a new Elderflower product.

The company, a winner of a series of UK Great Taste and Irish National Food and Drink and Irish Quality Food and Drink awards, has moved its apple pressing and juice production operations to the farm at Loughgall in county Armagh which supplies its apples.

Tempted?, a cider and apple juice brand formed in 2008 as DJ's Ciders and Juices by husband and wife team David and Janet Uprichard in Lisburn in county Antrim, has also signed a distribution agreement with Marblehead in London, part of Quintessential Brands, to develop sales in Britain.

The new Elderflower Cider has just been launched and is available in the company's preferred 500ml bottles. It blends apple juice with elderflower cordial from Richmont, a farm based business at Longford in the Republic of Ireland, a small batch producer.

David Uprichard, commenting on the new developments, says: "The transfer of our production operation gives us the additional capacity we require to enable us to meet the growing demand for our ciders and to support our strategic focus on building sales in Britain."

The new product joins the company's existing cider range that comprises Summer Sweet, Dry, Strawberry and a Special Reserve. All the ciders use 100 per cent apple juice without concentrates or other additives.

The craft business was formed by husband and wife team Davy and Janet Uprichard in 2009 and has developed into one of the most successful craft cider producers in Northern Ireland.

Tempted? ciders are made by fermenting pure apple juice made from locally grown Armagh Bramley Apple and dessert apples, plus Tipperary cider apples. Then they are sweetened with more pure apple juice, so these craft ciders are 100 per cent apple. Tempted? Strawberry cider is a blend of cider, apple juice and strawberry wine. Apple juice is also produced by the company.

The ciders are available in 500ml bottles, sweet in kegs, and apple juice in 750ml and 250ml bottles.