Molson Coors UK acquires Rekorderlig

Molson Coors UK has acquired the rights to Swedish cider Rekorderlig in the UK – its first foray into the premium cider category.

Molson Coors announced today that it had acquired the brand from Manchester-based Chilli Marketing Brands Ltd, giving it exclusive rights in the on- and off-trade to distribute, sell and market the Rekorderlig portfolio across the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands.

“Molson Coors is a recognised brand-builder with a successful track record of brand partnerships across the world”, said Frederic Landtmeters, managing director for Molson Coors UK & Ireland. “Rekorderlig has demonstrated incredible success in the cider category and we will look to invest in Rekorderlig UK and the brand to fuel incremental growth and category development.”

Now worth £2.7 billion, the UK cider market is expected to grow to £3.7bn by 2018. Globally, growth is particularly strong in Australia, the US and South Africa, with the category expected to record an average annual growth rate of 12% between 2015 and 2020.

Rekorderlig UK will operate as part of the Molson Coors UK group of businesses and its employees will continue to lead sales and marketing operations for the Rekorderlig portfolio.

Rekorderlig Cider will continue to be brewed at the cider’s family brewery in Vimmerby, Sweden, where it has been brewed since 1999.