Apple Cider in Italian Supermarkets

The consumption of apple cider, a slightly alcoholic beverage derived from apple juice, is today widespread, particularly in almost all northern European countries, which have a long tradition of consuming this product. In this article, we will see how the production and consumption of cider are growing in Italy, and we will examine which supermarket chains sell it in Italy.

Over the centuries, Italians have favored wine and beer consumption, although cider was known, especially in northern Italian regions, where farming families often consumed cider instead of wine due to the easier cultivation of apples compared to grapes in certain areas. However, apple cider remained a niche product in Italy for a long time and has only been rediscovered and experienced rapid growth in recent years, both in demand and supply. More and more Italian producers of apple cider are emerging today. The presence of cider in supermarkets and the fact that several chains sell it in Italy, as we will see in this article, testify to the sector’s vitality and the rapid growth of the phenomenon on a larger scale. Thanks to the presence of many cider shops online, even those who do not want to go to the supermarket can easily buy cider online from Italy.

Apple Cider in Italian Supermarkets

The increased market interest in apple cider in recent years has led some major Italian supermarket chains to pay more attention to the product.

Although its presence on shelves is not yet widespread (many supermarkets still do not carry the product), many points of sale across Italy do stock apple cider. Now we come to the central question of this article: which supermarket chains sell cider in Italy? To facilitate your search, we have prepared a list of the availability of cider at major Italian supermarket chains.

Apple Cider at Unicoop Firenze

Unicoop Firenze is present in Tuscany with 105 stores in seven of the region’s ten provinces. The supermarket chain confirms that many of its stores carry organic apple cider on their shelves; specifically, from the official “Prenota la Spesa” online shopping site, we see that it is Podere Fontecornino organic apple cider in 750 ml bottles. Unicoop Firenze has informed us that cider can be purchased at the following stores:

• Province of Arezzo: Arezzo Shopping Center, Montevarchi Shopping Center, San Giovanni Valdarno, Sansepolcro.
• Province of Florence: Florence Coverciano, Florence Via Cimabue, Florence Leopoldo, Florence Via Carlo del Prete, Florence Novoli, Florence Ponte a Greve, Florence Le Piagge, Florence Gavinana, Antella, Bagno a Ripoli, Barberino di Mugello, Borgo San Lorenzo, Campi Bisenzio, Castelfiorentino, Certaldo, Figline, Fucecchio, Empoli (Via Susini), Empoli OV, Lastra a Signa Shopping Center, Montelupo, Pontassieve, San Casciano, Sesto Fiorentino Il Neto, Sesto Fiorentino Shopping Center, Signa.
• Province of Lucca: Lucca, Lucca East.
• Province of Pisa: Pisa Mare, Pisa Cisanello, Bientina, Calci, Cascina, Castelfranco di Sotto, Pontedera, San Miniato, San Giuliano Terme Arena Metato, Santa Croce sull’Arno, Santa Maria a Monte, Ponsacco, Vecchiano, Volterra.
• Province of Pistoia: Pistoia, Agliana, Buggiano, Monsummano, Montecatini Shopping Center, Quarrata.
• Province of Prato: Prato, Prato Via Valentini, Prato Fabbricone, Montemurlo.
• Province of Siena: Siena, Colle Val d’Elsa, Poggibonsi Salceto.

Apple Cider at Coop Liguria

Coop Liguria manages 52 stores in the region; the company informs us that it does not have apple cider in any of its Super or Hyper stores. However, it does stock apple cider vinegar, which is also available throughout the network as Coop’s viviverde apple cider vinegar, 500ml; the same goes for apple juice, which is present on its shelves.

Apple Cider at Alleanza 3.0 Coop

Alleanza 3.0 Coop has 400 stores in nine Italian regions, from north to south (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, Puglia, Basilicata, Sicily, and, through controlled companies, Lazio). Apple cider is not stocked in this chain’s stores, although it does offer a wide range of apple juice, with 6 products available in Super stores and 11 in Hyper stores; apple cider vinegar is also available, with 9 types of juice in Super stores and 11 in Hyper stores.

Apple Cider at Unicoop Tirreno

Unicoop Tirreno has 94 stores in three Italian regions, Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria. The company informs us that it currently does not have apple cider in its assortment but is evaluating its inclusion. This chain also stocks apple juice and apple cider vinegar.

Apple Cider at Coop Centro Italia

Coop Centro Italia has over 100 stores in 9 Italian provinces (Arezzo, Siena, Perugia, Terni, Macerata, Rieti, Viterbo, Rome, L’Aquila). The company informs us that it has apple cider in stock in Collestrada, Terni, and Orvieto stores. The types of cider sold are:

• Apple and ginger cider, 50 cl (Melchiori)
• Alpine apple cider, 50 cl (Melchiori).

Apple Cider at Novacoop

Novacoop has over 60 stores in Piedmont. Unfortunately, the company did not provide answers regarding its apple cider supply.

Apple Cider at Carrefour

Carrefour has over 1450 stores in 18 Italian regions. Apple cider is not sold in Carrefour stores, which instead offers various types of apple juice. The apple juice options available at Carrefour are:

• 100% Apple Juice Carrefour Bio, 750 ml (Lucia Maria Melchiori)
• Organic apple juice and pulp Carrefour Bio, 3x200ml (La Doria-ex Confruit)
• 100% Apple Juice Carrefour, 1 l (Sterilgarda Alimenti)
• Organic apple juice, 200 ml (BioItalia).

These supplies were identified thanks to the convenient product search and online purchase bar on the supermarket’s homepage.

Apple Cider at Lidl

The Lidl group now has over 680 stores nationwide. The Lidl discount store does not carry apple cider, but it does offer various types of apple juice:

• Apple juice, 1500 ml (Solevita)
• Apple juice ‘Süessmost Naturrein’, 1000 ml, also sold in packs of 6 bottles (Ramseier)
• Apfelschorle, 500 ml (Ramseier)
• Apple juice with water ‘Apfelschorle’, 500 ml and 1500 ml (Freeway).

Lidl also stocks a type of apple cider vinegar, Apfelessig (Kania). Lidl’s assortment can be viewed (and purchased online) on its website in the ‘assortment’ section.

Apple Cider at Esselunga

Esselunga now has a network of over 160 superstores and supermarkets and is present in seven Italian regions (Lombardy, Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Piedmont, Veneto, Liguria, and Lazio). Apple cider is not sold in Esselunga stores, although apple juice and apple cider vinegar are available. The specific products are:

• Organic apple juice Esselunga Bio, 750 ml (Maria Lucia Melchiori)
• Organic apple juice and pulp Esselunga Bio, 750 ml and 3×200 ml (La Doria)
• Apple juice and pulp Esselunga, 1000 ml (La Doria)
• Apple juice, 1000 ml (Pfanner).

For apple cider vinegar:

• Organic apple cider vinegar Esselunga Bio, 750 ml (Lucia Maria Melchiori)
• Apple cider vinegar Melchiori, 750 ml (Lucia Maria Melchiori)
• Apple cider vinegar, 500 ml (Ponti)
• Organic apple cider vinegar Mother Apple, 500 ml (Acetifici Italiani Modena).

These supplies were identified thanks to the online shopping section of the website.

Apple Cider at NaturaSì

NaturaSì currently has about 300 organic stores throughout Italy in almost all regions, part franchised and part directly managed. NaturaSì includes apple cider in its wide assortment of over 4000 certified organic and biodynamic products, available in almost all NaturaSì stores. The types of apple cider sold are:

• U’go Bio apple cider, 7% alcohol, 500 ml (Maria Lucia Melchiori). This is an organic alcoholic beverage made from fermented apple juice with elderberry and mint, served cold, with ice and fresh mint leaves, ideal as an aperitif.
• Classic Alpine apple cider, 5% alcohol, 500 ml (Maria Lucia Melchiori)
• Apple cider with ginger, 4.5% alcohol, 500 ml (Lucia Maria Melchiori).

NaturaSì’s assortment also includes apple juice and apple cider vinegar:

• Organic apple juice Demeter Le Terre di Ecor, 1000 ml (Coop. Osiris)
• Organic concentrated apple juice Le Terre di Ecor, 700 ml (Coop. Osiris)
• Apple juice Bionaturae, 1000 ml (Isalpa)
• Apple juice NaturaSì, 1000 ml (EcorNaturaSì)
• Apple juice NaturaSì 3x200ml (EcorNaturaSì)
• Organic apple juice Fior di Loto, bag in box 3000 ml (BV&FdL)
• Clear apple juice, 200 ml (La finestra sul cielo)
• Clear apple juice SuccoBene, 750 ml and 2×200 ml (Azienda Montana Achillea)
• 100% apple fruit juice Isola Bio, 1000 ml (Abafoods).

For apple cider vinegar:

• Organic apple cider vinegar, 750 ml (EcorNaturaSì)
• Unfiltered apple cider vinegar, 750 ml (Voelkel)
• Unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar Baule Volante, 500 ml (BV&Fdl)
• Clear apple cider vinegar Baule Volante, 750 ml (BV&Fdl)
• Organic apple cider vinegar, 500 ml (Azienda Montana Achillea)
• Apple cider vinegar NaturaSì, 750 ml (EcorNaturaSì)
• German apple cider vinegar Fior di Loto, 750 ml (BV&Fdl)
• Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar Fior di Loto, 500 ml and 1000 ml (BV&Fdl)
• Apple cider vinegar, 750 ml (La Finestra sul Cielo)
• Apple cider vinegar cream Villa Lanfranca, 180 gr (Acetificio Mengazzoli)
• Apple cider-based condiment matured in barrique Achillea, 250 ml (Azienda Montana Achillea).

Apple juice is also offered in combination with other foods (apple and carrot, apple and mango, apple and pomegranate, apple and ginger, apple and blueberry, apple and bergamot). NaturaSì offers a product search and online purchase section on its homepage.

Apple Cider at Conad

Unfortunately, Conad has not yet provided the requested information about its apple cider supply in its stores. It appears that apple cider is not available at this supermarket chain, as a search in the site’s dedicated section yielded no results. The search did, however, show the availability of apple juice and apple cider vinegar.

Apple Cider at Eurospin

Unfortunately, we were unable to contact Eurospin for information on the presence of apple cider in their assortment. A search on the site revealed the supply of apple cider vinegar.

Apple Cider at Bennet Supermarket in San Giuliano Milanese

A reader (whom we thank for his kind contribution) contacted the purchasing department of the Bennet chain in San Giuliano Milanese and informed us that they stock THATCHERS GOLD CIDER 500 ML.

We hope that this article on which supermarket chains in Italy sell apple cider makes your search easier and more effective!