Aston Manor Cider

Aston Manor Cider (also Aston Manor and formerly Aston Manor Brewery) is a former brewery and current cider maker and bottling company in Aston, Birmingham, England. Having started out as a beer brewery, the company now produces exclusively cider and perry. In 2008 it was the third largest cider company in the UK by market share, and the fourth largest in the world.[1] In August 2018 Aston Manor cider was acquired by French co-operative Agrial.

Aston Manor Cider
IndustryBrewing
FoundedAston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
1981 (1981)
HeadquartersWitton, Birmingham, United Kingdom
ProductsCider
Websitewww.astonmanor.co.uk

Management

It was managed by Peter Ellis, son of Doug Ellis,[2][3][4][5] until 2013, when Gordon Johncox took over as managing director.[6] Peter Ellis remained as executive chairman until his death in December 2017.[7] Peter's son, James Ellis, is financial director.[8] Cider production director is Rod Clifford.[9]

Products

Its products include the Frosty Jack's brand of white cider,[10] Kingstone Press Cider, Friels First Press Vintage[11] and Hop Infused Cider[12] Knights Malvern Gold,[13] Crumpton Oaks[14] and 3 Hammers.[15]

In 2017, the business won 29 awards for its products and manufacturing.[16]

History

The company was formed in 1981 by four former employees of Ansells, after Ansells closed its Aston Cross brewery. A new brewery was opened in nearby Thimble Mill Lane.[17] In 1984, Herefordshire hop farmer Michael Hancocks, one of the company's suppliers, bought into the business. By 1998, Aston Manor was reporting profits of over £1million, with 70% of its sales being cider. Because of a slump in the market and strong competition, by 2001 profits had fallen to £740,500,[3][5][18] but by 2009 had risen to over £3 million, due to a large rise in demand in the UK.[19] In 2009 the company took over the Devon Cider Company, based in Tiverton, Devon and has expanded the manufacturing facilities on that site.[15]

In spring 2013 the company planted of 1,000 acres of new orchards, using 350,000 trees, on sites in Worcestershire and Herefordshire.[20][21]

In the autumn of 2013, a new fruit processing and pressing facility was added in Stourport-on-Severn in Worcestershire.[22]

In July 2014 the company moved to a new head office and logistics facility adjacent to the M6 motorway at Witton in Birmingham.[23][24]

In August 2018 Aston Manor cider was acquired by French co-operative Agrial.[25]

Industrial sabotage plot

In 2001, Michael Hancocks, then managing director[26] and a major shareholder with 12% of the shares, and whose family owned 44% of Aston Manor, organized a conspiracy to contaminate the cider products of the company's rival, H. P. Bulmer. He recruited a former Aston Manor employee, chemist Richard Gay, to produce a yeast that he planned to introduce into Bulmer's production line, recruited his daughter's partner, Paul Harris, to transport the contaminant, and paid a Bulmer's employee, Russell Jordan, £16,000 to introduce the contaminant. Jordan did not introduce the contaminant, but reported the plot to Bulmers and to the police, and the plot was foiled. If the plot had succeeded, anyone drinking the contaminated cider would have suffered diarrhoea and nausea.[18][26][27][28] Following his conviction for conspiracy to defraud, Hancocks was jailed for 18 months[26] and dismissed from the board of Aston Manor.[29]

See also

References
  1. Dennis, Mike (7 April 2008). "Cider increases share of throat, but Magners lags". talkingretail.com. Nexus Business Media. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  2. "Toasting success: Aston Manor raises a glass to First Quench deal". Birmingham Post. 10 May 2003.
  3. "Cider is rosy as Manor tastes record pounds 1m profit". Birmingham Post. 3 August 1998.}
  4. Ned Halley (2005). The Wordsworth Dictionary of Drink. Wordsworth Editions. p. 239. ISBN 1840223022.
  5. Philip Williams (17 April 2003). "Aston Manor showed rivals it had the bottle". Birmingham Post. Archived from the original on 4 October 2007.
  6. "Aston manor raises a glass to new MD". Insider Media Limited.
  7. "Peter Douglas ELLIS's Obituary on The Times". The Times. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  8. Emma, Wilson. "Interview: James Ellis, Aston Manor". www.icas.com. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  9. Steven Morris (16 September 2012). "Apple growers face grim harvest with worst yield for 15 years | Life and style". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  10. Dennis, Mike (19 May 2008). "Frosty Jacks ramps up comedy sponsorships". talkingretail.com. Nexus Business Media. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  11. Day, Record Store. "Record Store Day UK Launch official Cider with Friels First Press Vintage - Record Store Day". recordstoreday.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  12. "Hop Infused - Friels Cider". Friels Cider. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  13. "World Class Cider from Knights | The National Association of Cider Makers". cideruk.com. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  14. "Crumpton Oaks". Aston Manor Brewery - From Orchard to Glass. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  15. "£8m rescue cider firm set to invest further £4m in Westcountry plant". This is Devon. 8 September 2011. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  16. "ASTON MANOR CIDER TRIPLE TOP TO ROUND OF A RECORD BREAKING YEAR - Grow Exeter". Grow Exeter. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  17. 52.4989°N 1.8728°W / 52.4989; -1.8728 (Thimble Mill Lane site)
  18. "Bad apple brewed cider plot". BBC News. BBC. 7 August 2003.
  19. "Sales soar by almost half at family firm Aston Manor". The Birmingham Post (England). 13 October 2011.
  20. "Aston Manor continues to invest in "challenging" cider market". Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  21. "Aston Manor in £2.5 million orchard investment - Off Licence News - The Voice of Drinks Retailing". drinksretailingnews.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  22. "UK: Aston Manor Cider readies new processing site". 7 November 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  23. Jones, Tamlyn (3 July 2014). "Aston Manor Cider to build new warehousing hub". Birmingham Post. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  24. Mullen, Enda (7 July 2015). "Aston Manor Cider moves into new offices and warehouse". Birmingham Post. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  25. French, Phoebe (3 September 2018). "One of the UK's largest independent cider producers bought by French firm - The Drinks Business". The Drinks Business.
  26. "Jailed brewer's appeal dismissed". BBC News. BBC. 18 December 2003.
  27. "Cider rival's contamination plot". BBC News. BBC. 16 April 2003.
  28. "Plot to poison Bulmers cider". Beverage Daily. Decision News Media SAS. 22 April 2003.
  29. "Michael Hancocks was suspended as managing director of Aston". Publican's Morning Advertiser. 24 April 2003. Archived from the original on 26 January 2015.
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