H. P. Bulmer facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Alcoholic beverages |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Founder | H. P. Bulmer |
| Headquarters | London, England |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Products | Cider |
| Owner | Heineken International |
H P Bulmer Limited, known simply as Bulmers, is a company that makes cider. It was started in 1887 in Hereford, England.
Bulmers is famous for its own Bulmers cider, which is sold all over the world. They also make Strongbow, another popular cider sold in many countries. The company is currently owned by Heineken International. Bulmers makes a large amount of the cider sold in the United Kingdom each year. Their main competitor is the Irish C&C Group with its Magners brand.
Contents
The Story of Bulmers
How Bulmers Began
The company was founded by Henry Percival "Percy" Bulmer. He was just twenty years old when he started. His mother told him to work in food or drinks, saying they "never go out of fashion."
Percy began making cider using apples from his father's orchard. He used an old stone press on a nearby farm. This was the very first cider that would lead to the family's success.
In 1889, Percy's older brother, Fred (Edward Frederick Bulmer), joined him. Fred had just finished his studies at King's College, Cambridge. He decided to join the cider business instead of becoming a tutor for the King of Siam's children.
With a loan from their father, the brothers bought some land. They built their first cider mill there. It was a small barn compared to the huge, modern factory they have today.
Back then, making cider was tricky. The natural process of fermentation (where yeast turns sugar into alcohol) often made the cider taste sour. But in the 1890s, a friend of Fred's, Dr. Herbert Durham, found a special yeast. This yeast helped make sure the cider always tasted good. This was a big step for making cider on a large scale.
Bulmers received a special honour called the Royal Warrant in 1911. This means they are an official supplier to the British Royal Family. They are still the Cider Maker to His Majesty the King today. Percy Bulmer passed away in 1919 when he was 52 years old. The popular Strongbow cider was first introduced in 1960.
Becoming a Public Company
In 1970, Bulmers offered shares of its company on the Stock Exchange. This meant that anyone could buy a part of the company. At this time, Bulmers was the largest cider maker in the world.
Bulmers in the 21st Century
In 2003, another company called Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) bought Bulmers. Later, in 2008, the Heineken group bought S&N. This meant Heineken then owned Bulmers.
After these changes, Bulmers became more focused on just making cider. Some jobs were lost, but the company promised to invest in the Hereford factory. This included adding new equipment to help with canning their products.
In 2006, Bulmers relaunched its "Bulmers Original" cider in the UK. This was a special cider meant to be served over ice. It became very popular. Bulmers Original is usually sold in pint-sized bottles.
In 2007, they added Bulmers Pear cider to their range. In 2008, they launched Bulmers Light, which had fewer calories. However, this version was stopped a year later.
Bulmers also makes other brands, like Jacques. Jacques cider comes in different fruit flavours, such as cherry, raspberry, and blackcurrant.
In 2010, Bulmers released a special "Summer Blend" that mixed apple and pear flavours. They also made a "Red Apple" version using a special type of red apple.
In 2011, Bulmers introduced the "Crisp Blend," made from sharper apples. This gave it a slightly drier taste than the Original. Around this time, Bulmers also updated its look with new branding and bottles.
The company used to number its different cider types. For example, Original was No.9, Pear was No.10, and Crisp Blend was No.15. They also introduced No.17, which was Red Berry and Lime flavour.
By 2022, the main Bulmers brand became less popular. Only the Original and Red Berry and Lime flavours are widely available in the UK.
Where Apples Come From
The apples used to make Bulmers cider come from England and France. In 2014, it was reported that Bulmers gets 90 percent of its apples from orchards in Herefordshire, England.
Bulmers Brands
Bulmers makes many different cider brands, including:
- Bulmers
- Strongbow
- Scrumpy Jack
- Woodpecker Cider
- Inch's
- Orchard Thieves
- Orchard Pig
- Jacques Cider with fruit
- Old Mout Cider
- Pomagne
- Blind Pig, which are ciders with whiskey- and rum-like flavours
See also
- List of cider brands
