Debenham cider maker Aspall has announced a major brand partnership with The Jockey Club.
As an Official Partner of The Jockey Club, Aspall, a family firm, will receive exclusive Official Cider brand activation rights, with the potential to reach around two million customers each year attending the racecourse group’s 340 fixtures around the country. The premium ‘cyder’ brand will also be able to gain exposure to an audience of more than 20 million UK terrestrial television viewers through the launch of a fully-integrated brand marketing campaign.
Founded in 1750, The Jockey Club today stages many of the most iconic horseracing events in Britain, including the prestigious Cheltenham Festival, which begins on Tuesday.
Governed by Royal Charter, the club is the largest commercial group in British horseracing and reinvests all its profits to support the long-term health of one of Britain’s favourite sporting and cultural activities.
Over-and-above the brand partnership opportunity, Aspall will be the exclusive packaged cyder available across The Jockey Club’s racecourses with immediate effect and from September 2015 this will be extended to add draught pouring rights, making Aspall the exclusive and sole cyder available to The Jockey Club’s customers. The deal will run until at least September 2018.
Barry Chevallier Guild, who with his brother, Henry, now runs the eighth generation family business at Aspall, said: “This is our first foray into the world of sports sponsorship and we’re thrilled to be working with The Jockey Club to bring our premium cyder range to racegoing audiences. Our businesses share a heritage that dates back to the early eighteenth century and we share roots in Suffolk where our cyder is produced barely 40 miles from The Jockey Club’s origins in Newmarket. Our premium cyder is a perfect refreshing, yet sophisticated drink for racegoers.”
Simon Bazalgette, group chief executive of The Jockey Club, said: “With a unique heritage dating back to 1728, Aspall is a perfect brand partner for The Jockey Club. Over recent years, the popularity of horseracing and cider has seen a resurgence. Today, horseracing is the second biggest spectator sport in the UK with attendances of around six million every year. We are delighted to be working with a brand that shares our British heritage and the partnership supports our goal to work with like-minded brands who are focussed on offering a premium experience to customers. Investing all of our profits back into the sport, the support of our Official Partners is helping the long-term health and success of British racing.”
Aspall managing director Des Smith said the new partnership was “a really exciting opportunity for the company”.
Aspall’s collaboration with The Jockey Club is its first-ever partnership in sport. The premium Suffolk cyder brand has a successful partnership with the Royal Albert Hall, which began in 2011.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here