UK heatwave good news for cider producers

The heatwave currently sweeping through the UK has been good news for cider producers, who are enjoying a boost in sales as the mercury soars.

How about them apples? The heatwave in the UK has led to a surge in cider sales

As reported by the BBC, cider makers in Wales have reported a surge in sales, but the current CO2 shortage has thrown a spanner in the works.

“Our sales are up on last year and the demand is huge so far in the first couple of days in July,” Nic Gronow, from Gwynt Y Ddraig cider in Llantwit Fardre, told the BBC.

“The CO2 issue means we are out of stock in a large amount of our range. We expect to get things back to normal next week, but I think it will be in small quantities until the situation is back to normal.

“It’s been temporarily a bit difficult and a lot of our customers have been understanding,” he added.

Sally Perks, chairwoman of the Welsh Perry and Cider Society, said the boost in sales was “good news” for the industry, but is hoping for a spot of rain soon.

“We will need more rain. There’s a lot of fruit on the trees but the more stress on the trees from lack of rain, the more fruit it will drop,” she told the BBC.

A lack of rain will lead to a higher sugar and therefore alcohol content in the apples.

“We definitely want to have some rain in the next couple of weeks. If we haven’t had any in a month, we will start to worry a lot. The apples will shrink in size massively,” Ben Caplin, owner of Apple County Cider in Monmouthshire, told the BBC.