Bulmers (Ireland)

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Bulmers Original, is marketed outside Ireland as Magners.

Bulmers Original.

For the English brand of the same name, see H. P. Bulmer.

Bulmers Original Vintage Cider is a brand of cider produced in Ireland. To prevent confusion with the British cider of the same name, it is sold outside of Ireland as Magners Original Irish Cider.

Commercial cider production was started in Clonmel, County Tipperary in 1935, by local man William Magner.^[1] Magner bought the orchard off a Mr Phelan from Clonmel. Magner quickly established a successful business, and in 1937 he joined forces with the English cider-makers H. P. Bulmer and Company.^[2] Dowds Lane in Clonmel was the location of this burgeoning enterprise. In 1949 Magner withdrew from the business and the Bulmers name came to the fore. However H.P. Bulmer maintained international rights to the Bulmers trade mark, which prevented the Irish company exporting the brand from Ireland.

In 1964 the company name was changed to Showerings (Ireland) Ltd. Soon afterwards the company moved its main processing operations to a new complex at Annerville, five kilometres from the centre of Clonmel heading east on the N24 Waterford road, which was opened in 1965 by the then Taoiseach, Seán Lemass.

Today Irish Bulmers Ltd. employs more than 470 people and is a substantial part of the economic infrastructure of the community of Clonmel. It is owned by C&C,^[3] one of Ireland's biggest drinks companies.

The success of Bulmers cider in Ireland led to the development of Magners Cider. The concept was originally developed by export director, Stuart Wootten, who argued that the international growth of Irish pubs provided a natural market for an indigenous Irish drink such as Magners. The label is identical to Bulmers. The product is made identically for both the Bulmers and Magners names. It is available in 330 ml, pint, litre and 750 ml bottles and 500 ml cans, and is traditionally served over ice. It is also available in most Irish bars on draught. Initially only available in Spain, Northern Ireland and Scotland, the brand saw its popularity increase significantly in recent years and is now available across the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia^[4] and the United States.^[1]

The current TV advertising for Bulmers in Ireland mirrored by Magners in international markets, involves adverts that run in each of the seasons. They show a brief shot of an orchard in seasonal conditions - bare and snow covered in winter, lush and green with sunny skies in summer - at the start of the advert, and then how people enjoy the drink during these seasons -by a warm fire in winter, out in the warm sun during summer.

Drinking cider over ice mirrors the move towards chilled and "extra-cold" beers. Magners' success has led to the UK's market leader in cider Scottish & Newcastle introducing 'Sirrus', a version of its Strongbow cider produced specifically to be poured over ice. In 2006 they also relaunched Bulmers Original in the UK, a premium packaged cider.^[4]

The Magners brand is the title sponsor of rugby union's Celtic League featuring the top teams from Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Magners sponsored the 2007 Brighton Festival Fringe.^[4] The company also produces Cidona, a popular soft drink in Ireland.