Thistly Cross wins £150,000 cider deal with Asda

Asda has raised a glass to cider maker Thistly Cross by awarding the East Lothian firm a supply contract worth £150,000.

Thistly Cross cider maker Peter Stuart and Asdas Brian OShea. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Under the deal, the chain’s 56 stores in Scotland will stock five varieties produced by the firm, including a whisky cask version that is aged for at least six months in single malt casks previously used by the Glen Moray distillery.

The use of whisky casks led to Thistly Cross facing a sharp rise in tax three years ago, when HM Revenue & Customs decided this process meant the cider was actually a “made wine”, which commands higher levies.

However, the firm said it has doubled in size over the past year and now employs 14 people at its fourth-generation family farm near Dunbar.

Director Julia Rennie said: “Our cider is made in Scotland from the finest quality fruits, so it’s great to see that Asda is continuing to invest in providing a range of products full of Scottish provenance and taste.”

Brian O’Shea, Asda’s regional buying manager for Scotland, added: “The Thistly Cross cider products are premium quality and will give customers a new and local choice.

“Feedback from everyone who has tried the new lines has been incredibly positive so we look forward to working with the business closely and hopefully increasing the range of products available in-store in due course.”

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SCOTSMAN’S BUSINESS BRIEFING

• Get the latest business headlines from a variety of news sources emailed to your inbox each morning