Armagh Cider Launches New Brand of Handcrafted Mixers
A new range of mixers launched by Armagh Cider Company at this year’s Balmoral Show is set to feature at Expo 2020 Dubai after catching the attention of global buyers.
The Troughton’s ‘Raising Spirits’ range, so named after the Troughton family who own Armagh Cider Company, released four delicious flavours at the annual agri-food event, with more coming soon. The current mixers include a Premium Indian Tonic Water and Light Tonic Water, along with a Premium Ginger Ale and Refreshing Lemonade, all crafted from the natural spring water found on the Troughton family farm.
“We’ve been planning the range for two-and-a-half years, working through samples to perfect the recipes,” said Mark Troughton, director at Armagh Cider Company. “We’ve worked with a number of designers and specialists to create the right product for the market. Already, we’ve had enquiries from Dubai, China and America and the range will now be going to Expo 2020 Dubai.”
The mixers mark an exciting new chapter for the company, well-known for its handcrafted ciders, apple juice and cider vinegar. Spotting a gap in the market for quality mixers made primarily in Northern Ireland, and discovering that no-one else was producing craft lemonade in the province, they decided to launch their own range.
“Normally, everything we do here is apple-based, but we’ve been looking at the gin and spirits market recently,” said Mark. “We have our own quality spring water for the cider, so it’s a natural progression for us, to go from crafting alcohol to non-alcohol products as well.”
The first batch of Troughton’s Raising Spirits went down a treat at Balmoral Show and three new flavours will be launched over the summer. The range will also be available in shops from June in special four-packs, a ‘revolutionary’ move for craft brands, as this costs companies more to produce. The packs will, however, be competitively priced with mainstream mixers.
“We created the tonics primarily for the gin market,” said Mark. “People want choice and everyone has different tastes. For example, gin and ginger are popular combinations, as are whiskey and ginger. A lot of people drink lemonade with their gin too. We sampled all the tonics around the country and have decided ours tastes the best. I’m excited to see how far we can go. This is going to be a big brand – a revolutionary brand in Northern Ireland.”
Troughton’s ‘Raising Spirits’ range was officially launched at the Balmoral Show. The mixers are primarily aimed at the gin market and have already caught the attention of global buyers (to be featured at Expo 2020 Dubai).
Flavours to date include:
Ø Premium Indian Tonic Water
Ø Premium Indian Light Tonic Water
Ø Premium Ginger Ale
Ø Refreshing Lemonade
