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How craft beer and cider can work together to beat the mainstream

21 October 2024 By Jessica Mason

Siren Craft Brew and Red Fin Cider have teamed up to help venues retain independent craft offerings. db finds out more.

On-trade customers can now buy Red Fin cider products directly from Siren, packed in the brewery’s 30l stainless steel kegs. Two Red Fin ciders are available alongside Siren’s beers to help publicans consolidate their beer and cider deliveries. Further benefits include the option for pubs to take advantage of collaborative brand activations and events as well as custom installations.

According to the business owners the new partnership isn’t financial and neither company has a stake in the other. However, the independent businesses describe it as “strategic”.

Describing more about the union, Red Fin co-founder Freddie Rouse said: “This partnership allows us and Siren to explore new projects together in collaboration, sharing all of our joint experience and resources. Having worked in craft beer for many years, it’s something I’ve never done before, but I’m confident it will work well. We have known a lot of the Siren team for many years and are thrilled to be able to work so closely with them to explore some fun new projects together. We will be running exclusive production runs for Siren into their 30L kegs.”

Siren Craft Brew founder Darron Anley explained: “We’re a passionately independent brewery and we’re always on the hunt for new ways that we can collaborate with like minded businesses and better support our customers. This unique partnership not only improves our combined product offering, but makes life easier for publicans who are continually under pressure on time, finances and resources.”

Craft Beer Cabin co-founder Nick Thomas, who has venues in both Norwood Junction and Bromley, added: “Being a small bar in a high street shop, we have limited cellar space to work with. The Siren and Red Fin partnership is great for us. Not only will we be able to bring in delicious cider in 30l kegs, where most are 50l, we can also consolidate with our beer orders and empty collections. Being more efficient while having an exceptional drinks offering feels like a win/win for us and our customers.”

In a perfect storm for the sector, the craft industry has found itself squeezed out since the pandemic, with many craft businesses being forced to look at raising prices, despite risking losing customers, drinks analysts told db.

Big macro beer businesses such as Molson Coors which continued to smash expectations in competition with craft producers have used strategic moves that have contributed to the mainstream sector’s recent ascendency.

Macro brands have oft been underpinned by their affordability in Britain, with the consumer seeking out “cheapest” as the benchmark for how well the sector doing, however this new model of working showcased by Siren and Red Fin is considered to be the indie sector’s way of fighting back by heralding messages of quality and craft above all else in its messaging.

To support the model, the trend for craft cider was declared in a report last year that highlighted how the category would continue to lead growth opportunities. Added to this, db looked into how quality cider is now being treated with the same reverence as wine in fine dining establishments, elevating it further.

Last year, craft brewers, including Siren, spoke up about the reality of the cost pressures and lack of government support towards the future of their businesses. New ways of working together are now coming into play, with the craft sector recognising how their strengths of their offering alongside their appeal when it comes to relationship management with their on-trade customers being paramount to what is likely to assist in their success.

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