Cider awareness is high, yet many, especially younger consumers, remain unclear on what it is, how it differs from alcopops or fruit wines, and when to drink it. Inconsistent labeling, weak emotional branding, poor retail placement, and missing cultural ties slow growth. Without coordinated industry action, cider risks staying marginal in both cultural relevance and market share, missing a chance to position itself as a valued Swiss specialty that leverages regional apple production, changing tastes, and demand for low-alcohol, authentic, locally rooted beverages.

The study combined a nationwide survey of 202 consumers with expert interviews involving producers, retailers, and policymakers. Quantitative data mapped awareness, usage contexts, barriers, and purchase drivers. Qualitative findings revealed structural weaknesses, branding gaps, and retail flaws. Integrating both evidence streams through a triangulated approach pinpointed intervention points and targeted actions. The recommendations give the SOV a practical blueprint to reposition cider as a distinctive, culturally relevant, competitive product in Switzerland’s beverage market.

Three growth levers were identified: (1) Build compelling emotional storytelling rooted in regional identity and orchard heritage to establish cultural pride and resonance. (2) Increase product trials through tasting events, digital campaigns, tourism experiences, and occasion-based marketing to boost familiarity, trust, and excitement. (3) Improve retail visibility via better shelf placement, harmonized labeling, and sensory segmentation (sweetness levels, apple varieties, production methods) to simplify consumer choice and reinforce quality cues. Barriers: category confusion, fragmented branding, and low visibility, are rooted in communication and positioning gaps, not in a lack of consumer interest. Addressing these will allow Swiss cider to evolve from a fragmented niche into a recognized, premium category integrated into gastronomy, tourism, and daily life. For the Swiss Fruit Association, this study offers a unifying roadmap to align producers, set standards, enhance retail presence, and promote cider as both an authentic, sustainable local product and a driver of rural economic value, seasonal tourism, and cultural identity.