Cider Brand Confusion

[finisterre]

Re: Ciders marketed as to be drunk with ice.

Bulmers Ireland released their cider as Magners in the UK a whle back.

Then Bulmers UK (an entirely different company) release Strongbow Sirrus to compete.

But now, I noticed in the boozer last night that there's a new one in a Magners lookalike bottle, marketed as Bulmers.

So does this mean that Bulmers UK are now selling two different ciders to be drunk with ice? i.e. Sirrus & Bulmers. And if so, why?

[ugly_bob]

Bulmers is probably Sirrus with a different label.
Trying to capitalise on people's confusion, thinking that the Bulmers is Irish Magners. Trying to slyly steal market share frmo Magners which is undoubtedly market leader.

[Champagne]

I used to be really confused about that too. Then I drank Magners, Sirrus and Bulmers and after a couple of hours I didn't care anymore. *hic*

[heathfield]

If you visit the Magners website and study the images on the page, then click on the Bulmers link, you'll see that the pages look identical. Even the brand labels are the same - only the names are different. This makes it appear as though they are the same product, being sold under two different names.
I remember, very many years ago, hearing that Bulmers only made one cider. By adding water and sugar to this basic cider, they produced differing alcohol levels and sweetnesses to sell under different labels. Their UK website says their ciders are 'carefully blended', but they don't say with what. Water and sugar?

[ugly_bob]

heathfield - they are the same product.

Bulmers in Ireland is a different company to Bulmers in the UK.

[Buenchico]

The most likely reason why a pub would have a drink labelled as 'Bulmers' in bottles which look like Magners is that, somehow or other, the pub has simply got hold of stock which was originally destined for the Irish market. (As Finisterre acknowledges in his question, Bulmer's Irish Cider and Magners are the same product. The producer can't market the it product under the Bulmers name in the UK but there's nothing to stop someone from buying some stock in the Irish republic and shipping it here).

Chris

[finisterre]

I should add thought, that the Bulmers I bought In London tasted totally different to the Magners I am used to.

[heathfield]

Aaah, Ugly-Bob, different companies? That explains a lot. Thanks for that info.