Strongbow

Production has remained centred in Hereford since the brand's founding, in a county with a long association with apple growing. Strongbow was acquired by Heineken following the group's purchase of Scottish and Newcastle in 2008, and under Heineken's ownership it has grown to become the leading cider by market share in the UK.

The low-alcohol offering launched in March 2020. It is produced using dealcoholisation (brewed at full strength, then had the alcohol removed) while retaining the dark fruit character of the original recipe. The AF range consists of this single variant, available in cans. Strongbow underwent a significant visual identity refresh in 2023, its first major redesign in sixty years, aimed at attracting a younger generation of cider drinkers.

Distribution is broad: the low-alcohol variant benefits from Strongbow's established retail footprint, widely available across mainstream supermarkets and through specialist retailers in the budget price bracket. Heineken's distribution infrastructure means the range is accessible to sober-curious drinkers and weeknight drinkers without specialist sourcing. The brand's scale and market position give the low-alcohol cider category a mainstream visibility that dedicated AF cider producers cannot match on their own.