Big Brewers Chase U.S. Cider Growth on Craft Beer Explosion

With ciders returning to U.S. shelves, big brewers need to keep newfound consumers keen on the fizzy, alcoholic apple drink to counter a slowdown in the U.K.

Heineken NV, Anheuser-Busch InBev NV and Carlsberg A/S are all investing in cider as drinkers seeking an alternative to beer boosted U.S. volumes 20 percent last year, contrasting with a 2 percent decline in beer, according to Euromonitor International. Cider acquisitions are still small compared with the prices paid by brewers for beermakers, including a $20.1 billion bid by AB InBev for control of Corona’s maker, while tapping into a market ripe for expansion.