AN AWARD-winning cider maker will plant 1,000 new acres of orchards across Herefordshire.

Aston Manor, which has just been voted category winner for own-label alcohol in The Grocer Gold Awards 2013, is adding some 350,000 trees to the county landscape and granting 25 year contracts to growers.

The company, based in Birmingham, currently has 300 acres of orchards in Herefordshire and Malvern and there are about 25 to 30 growers in a number of different locations across the county.

These are home to a wide variety of bittersweet cider apples, including Michelin, Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, Dabinett and Ellis bitters.

Gordon Johncox, managing director at Aston Manor, said: “In our 30th year this is a planting scheme on an enormous scale.

“Already the largest independent cider maker in the UK, this both signals and supports our intention to work with growers to source the best fruit to be able to make top quality cider.

“It is also recognition of the long-term commitment Aston Manor has to the category – we are a cider business, and only a cider business, determined to build on the popularity of cider and perry both in the UK and in export markets.”

The scale of the new planting across prime locations in Herefordshire will take a couple of years to complete, though all locations are identified and agreements have been reached with growers.

Rodney Clifford, head cider maker at Aston Manor, said: “This is a major development and very exciting as it transforms our supply of apples and secures top quality fruit for decades to come.

“Having agreed the sites with the growers we are selecting the apple varieties that deliver the yield they and we want and most especially the quality of bittersweet juice so we can continue to make ciders full of flavour and character.”

Aston Manor now has sales in excess of £110 million per annum.

Gordon Johncox, managing director, said: “We are committing the necessary resources to build the capability and capacity of Aston Manor and believe we are very well placed to exploit the potential in the cider market at home and abroad.”

The company goes on to the shortlist for the ultimate award in the category at the Grocer Gold Awards on June 11. The awards recognise the best standards in grocery retail and rewards high levels of service, initiative and commitment.