Making the Most of Cider in Your Venue
Cider is having a moment and 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for pubs and bars. From classic apple cider to fruity flavours and popular ciders on tap, there has never been a better time to get creative with your offer.
Whether it is drawing in customers for daytime tastings, crafting seasonal serves or showcasing a range of apple and fruit ciders, this is your chance to make cider the star of your venue. Here we explore the trends shaping the cider category, share tips for getting the perfect serve and highlight key events that can help you attract more people, more often.
Emerging Trends Shaping On-Trade Cider
Understanding consumer trends is key to making cider more relevant and driving footfall. Here are five macro trends affecting on-trade and cider sales.
Statistics are showing on-trade visits are shifting earlier in the day. This could create engaging cider-based experiences that will drive off-peak visits, like cider festivals, tastings or food matching nights.
Broaden your low and no alcohol cider options. The success of low and no cider demonstrates the growing need to take this category seriously and ensure these options are as popular and prominently displayed in back bar fridges.
Ensure you are stocking a cider that offers value to your consumers as well as quality. Think about classic apple staples, such as Strongbow.
Do you have any loyalty apps where you can reward customers or engage them with cider-focused content?
Consumer demand for sustainable practices and brands is still rising.
The Five Drivers
Heineken UK has identified five key drivers that will shape the Beer and Cider category through 2030. The focus is not on creating new occasions but on making the most of the ones that already exist and ensuring cider is central to the experience.
The Perfect Serve
When times are tough, customers look to reward themselves with indulgence. The way cider looks, feels and sounds on the bar top is just as important as how it tastes. By focusing on the perfect serve, pubs can drive higher spend and encourage repeat visits:
In June 2025, Heineken UK launched the Old Mout Flavourwave, a multi-fount draught system that serves multiple Old Mout cider flavours from one tap. This innovation gives pub-goers more choice, frees up bar space and increases draught volume, driving profitability.
The Wonderful Everyday
Socialising has shifted since COVID. Customers now value everyday moments of connection over high-energy nights out. Pubs can respond by creating accessible, low-pressure spaces where cider is at the centre of the experience:
- Advertise your cider range next to food boards and menus
- Offer cider at garden tables as well as on the bar
- Highlight your cider offer with signage, for example "Perfect with a pie and a chat"
Discover More: Growth in Premium Cider
Customers love to try new drinks, and cider is no exception. Recent growth shows a rise in premium apple cider and fruity cider brands:
Offering a mix of apple cider, fruity cider and flavoured cider gives your customers choice and encourages repeat visits.
Making Memories Together: Key Dates in 2026
Cider can be at the heart of special occasions and events in your pub. Key dates in 2026 include:
Whether serving draught cider or bottled cider, these occasions are excellent opportunities to showcase your cider range and attract more people more often.
Mindful Choice
Customers increasingly value sustainability, quality and moderation. Offering low and no-alcohol cider alongside brands like Inch's cider provides a mindful, high-quality option. Authentic stories about sourcing and production, combined with great taste, help your cider stand out and attract new customers.
By understanding trends, serving cider perfectly, celebrating everyday moments and leveraging key events, pubs can position cider as central to the customer experience. This helps attract more people, more often and increases spend across both apple cider and fruity cider brands.
Ready to make cider the star of your venue?
Fill out the form and one of our sales team will be in touch to help you build the perfect cider range for your pub.
Start Trading with eazle →All statistics sourced from the Heineken Cider Report 2026, published March 2026, unless otherwise stated.