FROM THE ORCHARD TO THE ‘BIG APPLE’ START SPREADING THE NEWS: Northern Ireland drinkers are being given
FROM THE ORCHARD TO THE ‘BIG APPLE’
START SPREADING THE NEWS:
Northern Ireland drinkers are being given a chance to win the trip of a lifetime to New York City,
thanks to a new summer promotion from l
WITH Independence Day in the USA just around the corner (July 4th), Northern Ireland drinkers are being given a chance to win the trip of a lifetime to New York City, thanks to a new summer promotion from leading cider brand Orchard Thieves.
Running exclusively in Northern Ireland across the hot summer months, the ‘Take a Bite Out of the Big Apple’ campaign invites customers to cool down with a refreshing pint of Orchard Thieves and scan the in-bar QR code for their chance to win a trip to NYC.
The promotion will run in participating pubs and bars across NI until September, with venues also competing for a trip to ‘The Big Apple’ as part of a trade incentive rewarding top performance, growth in cider sales, and social media engagement.
“With the World Cup taking place in America, and Independence Day coming up this Saturday (July 4), there are a lot of eyes on the USA this summer,” said Olivia McAleenan, Brand Manager for United Wines, the company that distributes Orchard Thieves in Northern Ireland.
“With this in mind, we’re thrilled to launch this amazing campaign in Northern Ireland and give our customers AND trade partners something really exciting to get behind this summer. There are few destinations in the world as iconic as New York City so we’re sure that the chance to win a trip there will create a real buzz in bars across the province.
“Cider is the perfect summer drink and we’ve already seen a spike in sales on the back of the recent heatwave we’ve all been enjoying. So we’re now urging all those cider fans out there to ‘Take A Bite Out Of The Big Apple’ and enjoy a refreshing pint of Orchard Thieves – it might be their ticket to visit the city that never sleeps!,” she added.
Participating venues will feature eye-catching point-of-sale materials designed to bring the New York theme to life and encourage customers to get involved.
A list of participating venues can be found at https://unitedwines.co.uk/take-a-bite-out-of-the-big-apple-with-orchard-thieves/.
Cider is now worth £2 billion annually* in UK pubs and bars, with sales increasing by 3.5%* year-on-year, making it the second fastest-growing drinks category in the on-trade.
Cider drinkers are also becoming more loyal, with serves per occasion increasing by 19%* year-on-year.
A recent report in Drinks Industry Ireland magazine reveals that Orchard Thieves is the biggest draught cider in Ireland**, with almost one in two young adults listing it as their cider of choice***.
United Wines, a subsidiary of Heineken Ireland, is now one of the biggest drinks distributors on the island of Ireland. Operating from an 80,000 square foot warehouse in Craigavon, with 55 staff on its books, United Wines distributes an extensive portfolio of beers, wines, spirits, and soft drinks to more than 1,000 bars, restaurants, hotels, off licenses, cash & carries, regional wholesalers, and national multiples throughout the country.
* All stats are taken from… https://heinekenreports.pagetiger.com/cider26/
** CGA OPM date to December 2026/ https://www.drinksindustryireland.ie/the-apple-of-my-eye/
*** Kantar Brand Guidance System, Q2 2025 / https://www.drinksindustryireland.ie/the-apple-of-my-eye/
