Last July, Cider Apples New Zealand launched a comprehensive Roadmap Report for the development of a new billion dollar premium cider export industry within 15 years.
The Roadmap Report was made possible through funding from MPI, AGMARDT, Prevar, Plant and Food Research, Fruit Wine and Cider Makers Association, and Cider Apples New Zealand.
In the 10 months since the release of the report, considerable progress has been made, according to Cider Apples New Zealand.
Five new cider apples varieties have been identified though screening apples from Prevar, Plant and Food Research and other breeding programmes.
Cider Apples New Zealand says it is seeking interest from growers and cidermakers in the first three of these varieties, which are being bulked up with the intention of being released for commercialisation from this winter.
A major expansion of the Cider Apples New Zealand Accelerated Cider Apple Breeding Programme from 4,000 trees to 12,000 trees is underway and will be completed by September 2026.
This will ensure an ongoing pipeline of new, unique cider apples to provide New Zealand cidermakers with a sustainable point of difference in the global market.
Auckland Based Morningcider has embraced the Roadmap Report and just completed a $500,000 capital raise to help fund development of premium cider export sales.
The New Zealand Cider Awards, run by the Fruit Wine and Cider Makers Association of New Zealand, will include a new category this year in support of the Roadmap.
Cider Apples New Zealand and Prevar will jointly sponsor the New Zealand Premium Cider category and will contribute $3,000 towards advertising and promotion of the medal winning ciders.
Premium ciders designed for the export market and produced exclusively from New Zealand bred apples will be eligible for this new category. Medal winners will be announced in November at the New Zealand Cider Festival in Nelson on Saturday 2 November
Premiumisation will drive growth in the New Zealand cider industry
Premiumisation in the cider industry will be driven by new varieties of cider apples that produce exciting new styles of cider, with unique flavour profiles and more global consumer appeal that cannot be easily replicated in other countries.
Mainstream cider is mostly made from eating apples but eating apples are designed for eating, not making cider.
Traditional cider apples, while designed for cider, are usually very old varieties developed over 100 years ago in Northern Europe, when the climate was significantly cooler than it is today.
They suffer from low productivity, poor climate resilience, poor resistance to disease and pests, and a flavour profile that can be challenging in many of the markets that have the potential to drive global growth.
But a cider renaissance is underway, driven by investment in development of new cider apples that will allow the creation of a wider range of premium cider styles to excite a new generation of global cider drinkers.
What makes a good cider apple?
Cider apples require sugar for yeast to convert to alcohol, acidity to provide crisp freshness, tannins & polyphenols for body and length, and intense aromatics for flavour.
China is a key focus for Cider Apples New Zealand and this year a series of precommercial cider trials will be run at The Cider Factorie, Elemental Cider and Peckham’s Cider.
These small scale precommercial ciders made from a range of new apples will be evaluated in-market to build up a detailed understanding of Chinese consumer preferences for different elements of a premium priced cider.
This information will feed back into cider apple selection criteria for the Cider Apples New Zealand breeding programme. This will ensure that the consumer drives the output of the cider apple breeding programme.
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