Aston Manor Cider Explained

Aston Manor Limited
Trading Name:Aston Manor Cider
Former Name:Aston Manor Brewery Company Limited (1983–2017)[1]
Foundation: in Aston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Location:Witton, Birmingham, England, UK
Industry:Brewing
Products:Cider

Aston Manor Limited, trading as Aston Manor Cider, 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.[2] In August 2018 Aston Manor cider was acquired by French co-operative Agrial.

Management

It was managed by Peter Ellis, son of Doug Ellis,[3] [4] [5] [6] until 2013, when Gordon Johncox took over as managing director.[7] Peter Ellis remained as executive chairman until his death in December 2017.[8] Peter's son, James Ellis, is financial director.[9] Cider production director is Rod Clifford.[10]

Products

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

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. 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,[17] but by 2009 had risen to over £3 million, due to a large rise in demand in the UK.[18] In 2009 the company took over the Devon Cider Company, based in Tiverton, Devon and has expanded the manufacturing facilities on that site.[19]

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 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.[26] [27] [28] Following his conviction for conspiracy to defraud, Hancocks was jailed for 18 months and dismissed from the board of Aston Manor.[29]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1983-02-15 . Aston Manor Limited overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK . 2024-02-14 . . en.
  2. Web site: Cider increases share of throat, but Magners lags . Mike . Dennis . talkingretail.com . Nexus Business Media . 2008-04-07 . 2008-08-31 .
  3. News: Toasting success: Aston Manor raises a glass to First Quench deal. Birmingham Post. 2003-05-10.
  4. News: Cider is rosy as Manor tastes record pounds 1m profit. Birmingham Post. 1998-08-03. }
  5. Book: The Wordsworth Dictionary of Drink. Ned Halley. 239. 2005. Wordsworth Editions. 1840223022.
  6. News: Aston Manor showed rivals it had the bottle. Birmingham Post. 2003-04-17. Philip Williams. https://web.archive.org/web/20071004211021/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-73315198.html. dead. 2007-10-04.
  7. Web site: Aston manor raises a glass to new MD. Insider Media Limited.
  8. Web site: Peter Douglas ELLIS's Obituary on The Times. The Times. 2018-03-15.
  9. Web site: Interview: James Ellis, Aston Manor. Emma. Wilson. www.icas.com. English. 2018-03-15.
  10. News: Steven Morris . Apple growers face grim harvest with worst yield for 15 years | Life and style . The Guardian . 2012-09-16. 2014-06-06.
  11. Web site: Frosty Jacks ramps up comedy sponsorships . Mike . Dennis . talkingretail.com . . 2008-05-19 . 2008-08-31 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080520074143/http://www.talkingretail.com/products/9694/Frosty-Jacks-ramps-up-comedy-s.ehtml . 2008-05-20 .
  12. Web site: Record Store Day UK Launch official Cider with Friels First Press Vintage - Record Store Day. Day. Record Store. recordstoreday.co.uk. en. 2018-03-15.
  13. News: Hop Infused - Friels Cider. Friels Cider. 2018-03-15. en-GB.
  14. Web site: World Class Cider from Knights The National Association of Cider Makers. cideruk.com. en-GB. 2018-03-15.
  15. Web site: Crumpton Oaks. Aston Manor Brewery - From Orchard to Glass. 2018-03-15.
  16. News: ASTON MANOR CIDER TRIPLE TOP TO ROUND OF A RECORD BREAKING YEAR - Grow Exeter. 2017-12-20. Grow Exeter. 2018-06-29. en-US.
  17. News: Bad apple brewed cider plot. 2003-08-07. BBC News. BBC.
  18. Web site: Sales soar by almost half at family firm Aston Manor . The Birmingham Post (England) . 13 October 2011 .
  19. Web site: £8m rescue cider firm set to invest further £4m in Westcountry plant . https://archive.today/20130114025539/http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/8m-rescue-cider-firm-set-invest-4m-Westcountry/story-13288615-detail/story.html . dead . 14 January 2013 . This is Devon . 8 September 2011 . 2012-08-24 .
  20. News: Aston Manor continues to invest in "challenging" cider market. 2018-04-03.
  21. Web site: Aston Manor in £2.5 million orchard investment - Off Licence News - The Voice of Drinks Retailing. drinksretailingnews.co.uk. 4 April 2013 . 2018-04-03.
  22. News: UK: Aston Manor Cider readies new processing site. 2013-11-07. 2018-04-03.
  23. News: Aston Manor Cider to build new warehousing hub . Jones . Tamlyn . 2014-07-03. . 2018-04-03.
  24. News: Aston Manor Cider moves into new offices and warehouse . Mullen . Enda . 2015-07-07 . Birmingham Post . 2018-04-03.
  25. Web site: One of the UK's largest independent cider producers bought by French firm - The Drinks Business . French . Phoebe . The Drinks Business . 3 September 2018 .
  26. News: BBC News. BBC. Jailed brewer's appeal dismissed. 2003-12-18.
  27. News: 2003-04-16. Cider rival's contamination plot. BBC News. BBC.
  28. News: Plot to poison Bulmers cider. 2003-04-22. Beverage Daily. Decision News Media SAS.
  29. News: Michael Hancocks was suspended as managing director of Aston . https://archive.today/20150126150650/http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/General-News/Michael-Hancocks-was-suspended-as-managing-director-of-Aston . dead . 2015-01-26 . Publican's Morning Advertiser . 2003-04-24 .

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