Commercial cider production was started in Clonmel in 1935, by local man William Magner. Mr. Magner quickly established a very successful business and, in 1937, he joined forces with the famous English cider-makers H.P. Bulmer and Company Herefordshire, securing the rights to the Bulmers brand name in the Republic of Ireland.
Dowd's Lane in Clonmel was the location of this burgeoning enterprise. In 1949, Mr. Magner withdrew from the business and the Bulmers name came to the fore.
Today, Bulmers Ltd. is a formidable Irish company by any standards, with a well deserved reputation for innovative and successful product development and marketing. The company currently employs 256 people and is a substantial part of the economic infrastructure of the community of Clonmel. Bulmers Ltd. has an extensive portfolio of drinks brands which include Bulmers Cider, Strongbow Cider, Linden Village Cider, Ritz Perry, Stag and Magners Cider
The launch of Bulmers export cider brand, Magners, is proving to be a major success story for C & C. After test marketing in several European countries, Magners was launched in 2000 in New York and Boston, and within three months sales of 2 million bottles were achieved.
As a result, Bulmers established the US based import company, William Magner Inc., and the brand was extended to new US markets.
Magners is now available in 30 countries worldwide. In Europe, Magners can be found in Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Greece, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, Andorra, Malta and Cyprus.