In every sip of cider, there’s a story waiting to be told—a narrative of flavors, a journey of craftsmanship, and a celebration of culture.
For Saigon Cider, it all began when Hannah Jefferys left her job as an architect in 2011 and moved to Vietnam when she was just 25 years old. Hannah grew up in a little place in the British countryside called Somerset, where she witnessed how cider evolved from being a farmer-associated drink to a cosmopolitan summer beverage.
Upon reaching Saigon and basking in the daily dose of sunshine, Hannah delved into the rich Vietnamese ‘nhậu’ culture, centered around shared dishes and toasts on plastic chairs lining the pavements of Saigon.
“There’s nothing quite like it elsewhere in the world — certainly not in the UK,” Hannah shared.
Yet, amidst the rich cultural tapestry, there was something she missed… cider.
A STORY OF INSPIRATION
Hannah found inspiration in the everyday scenes of Vietnamese individuals setting up shop just about anywhere and having a go. “Us British tend to think about risk rather than how things might work, and tend not to take the leap,” she says. She was also inspired by some local F&B brands that started their hustle in home kitchens, gradually expanding to a national and global scale.
This is how Saigon Cider was brought to life. What started as a humble stall at Saigon Outcast became the first organic craft cider in Vietnam.
CELEBRATING VICTORIES
Saigon Cider has notched up some impressive achievements on its journey. With their lineup of three ciders, they have been able to win 15 international awards, beating brands from established cider-making countries like the UK, US and France in some of the competitions.
Even despite the hurdles during the global pandemic and the challenges of being a small yet growing company in a bustling market, Saigon Cider has stood tall, and built a strong brand and following.
This year, Saigon Cider is entering new international markets, and they are incredibly proud to be able to share a taste of Vietnam with the world.
A NARRATIVE OF FLAVORS
Saigon Cider currently has three delightful flavors to offer:
- APPLE & GINGER: A blend featuring organic apples with a punch of Vietnamese ginger. This one is a revitalizing splash of a cider.
- ORIGINAL APPLE: This cider is crafted from fuji, gala and other favorite organic apples, perfect for a well deserved chill break after chaos.
- APPLE & CHILLI: A combination of organic apples with a Vietnamese chilli kick, delivering a dose of spice and sense of mischief.
Each flavor is thoughtfully crafted to bring a delightful and invigorating experience to everyone’s palate.
A GLOBAL TASTE WITH LOCAL ROOTS
Despite cider being an original British drink, Hannah is proud to present Saigon Cider as a Vietnamese brand.
“From the start, we have been a Vietnamese brand first and foremost, and proudly so. We were created here, grown here and inspired by here and I’m now personally rooted here with my Vietnamese family.
Our Vietnamese-ness runs through everything we do, our choices of organically farmed ingredients, our labeling and of course, our name. In export markets we retain as much Vietnamese wording on our labels as we can and we hope that we are chosen with pride by Vietnamese and that wider Asian consumers will also feel some sense of ownership over our brand,” Hannah shared with Asian Hustle Network.
The brand currently has openings for exclusive distribution deals in various countries. They would love to grow with overseas Vietnamese distributors who know how to ‘nhậu’, so now is the time to hit them up and be a part of sharing Peace, Love & Apples globally.
CONNECT WITH SAIGON CIDER
Facebook: Saigon Cider
Instagram: @saigoncider
Linkedin: Saigon Cider
