By Andrew Starke
A record number of consumers have turned to cider to quench their thirst according to new research from Roy Morgan, with the trend likely to continue in 2010.
The estimated number of cider drinkers in Australia is 549,000, up 45 percent from the estimated 379,000 in 2008.
These results came from the December 2009 Roy Morgan Liquor Consumption Survey.
In an average four week period during 2009, 3.3 percent of Australians aged 18 years and over consumed cider, up from 2.3 percent in the year to December 2008.
The report also recorded an increase in the number of people drinking spirits (from 25.6 percent to 26.8 percent).
The only category to show any significant decline was the RTD’s, which dropped from 15.4 percent to 14.3 percent.
Director of business development at Roy Morgan Research, Norman Woodcock, said the increase in cider drinkers represented a significant opportunity for both retailers and manufacturers.
“We have seen a consistent increase in the number of cider drinkers particularly in the last half of 2009 which tends to indicate the growth in the number of cider drinkers will continue into 2010,” he said.
“The additional number of cider drinkers in 2009 represents about the same as the decline in the number of RTD drinkers which begs the question are some people switching from RTD’s to cider.”