Babycham
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Babycham () is the trade name of a light (6% ABV), sparkling perry invented by
Francis Showering Francis Edwin Showering (10 July 1912 – 5 September 1995), was an English brewer. His family company, Showerings, invented Babycham, a light, sparkling perry, launched in 1953 and originally marketed as "genuine champagne perry". In 1957, i ...
, a brewer in
Shepton Mallet Shepton Mallet is a market town and civil parish in the Mendip District of Somerset, England, some south-west of Bath, south of Bristol and east of Wells. It had an estimated population of 10,810 in 2019. Mendip District Council is based t ...
in
Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...
, England. The name was owned by
Accolade Wines Accolade Wines is an international wine business with headquarters in South Australia and corporate offices in Melbourne. It has been owned by The Carlyle Group, an American private equity company, since 2018. Accolade, which predominantly uses ...
until December 2021 when it was bought back into the Showering family business Brothers Drinks Limited. The brand was particularly popular during the 1960s and 1970s. The four brothers are planning a major rebranding and relaunch of the drink.


History

Francis Showering Francis Edwin Showering (10 July 1912 – 5 September 1995), was an English brewer. His family company, Showerings, invented Babycham, a light, sparkling perry, launched in 1953 and originally marketed as "genuine champagne perry". In 1957, i ...
first submitted his new drink to the Three Counties Agricultural Show and other agricultural shows in the late 1940s and early 1950s where it was found to be popular. Initially called "baby champ," it later became Babycham. Launched in the United Kingdom in 1953, Babycham was the first alcoholic product to be advertised on British commercial television, the campaign being launched in 1957, with the drink originally marketed as a "genuine champagne perry". It was the first alcoholic drink aimed specifically at women and used the catchphrase "I'd Love a Babycham". In 1965, the Babycham Company sued the food writer
Raymond Postgate Raymond William Postgate (6 November 1896 – 29 March 1971) was an English socialist, writer, journalist and editor, social historian, mystery fiction, mystery novelist, and gourmet who founded the ''Good Food Guide''. He was a member of ...
, founder of the ''
Good Food Guide ''The Good Food Guide'' has been reviewing the best restaurants, pubs and cafés in Great Britain since 1951. In October 2021, Adam Hyman purchased ''The Good Food Guide'' for an undisclosed sum from Waitrose & Partners. The ''Guide'' is being r ...
'', for an article in ''Holiday'' magazine in which he warned readers against Babycham, which "looks like champagne and is served in champagne glasses utis made of pears". The company sued for libel, claiming the article implied it was dishonestly passing off Babycham as champagne. The judge in his summation stated that the article was defamatory, but that the jury could consider it as "fair comment" rather than a factual statement. The jury found for Postgate, and he was awarded costs. During the 1960s, Showerings stopped brewing
beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...
to concentrate on cider and perry. Production of Babycham went from 300 dozen bottles an hour to 2,800 dozen. At the peak in June 1973 144,000 bottles were being produced each hour. To supply the production line, perry pears were planted in Somerset,
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...
,
Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...
and
Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...
. Until suitable trees could be grown locally, pear juice was imported from
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. The profits helped to pay for the landscaping of the gardens at the company's headquarters at
Kilver Court Kilver Court is a historic house and gardens in Shepton Mallet in the English county of Somerset. The River Sheppey powered textile mills and it later became a factory, the headquarters of the Showerings brewing business (later part of Allied Dome ...
. In 1978, the Babycham company was sued by French Champagne producers for abuse of their trade name. The case (''H P Bulmer Ltd and Showerings Ltd v J Bollinger SA''
978 Year 978 ( CMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Battle of Pankaleia: Rebel forces under General Bardas Skleros are defeated ...
RPC 79) hinged on the fact that Babycham had been described in advertising as ‘champagne perry’ or ‘champagne cider’. Champagne producers were litigating to protect their goodwill but because there would not actually be confusion, they were unsuccessful. The brand's appeal waned with the rise of cheaply available alternatives and a tightening up of the regulations governing
alcohol advertising Alcohol advertising is the promotion of alcoholic beverages by alcohol producers through a variety of media. Along with nicotine advertising, alcohol advertising is one of the most highly regulated forms of marketing. Some or all forms of alco ...
on television. 1993 saw a major relaunch of the brand and the reintroduction of the
chamois The chamois (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Alps, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Ril ...
mascot, a giant model of which can be seen outside the Shepton Mallet factory where the drink is produced. 1997 saw the reintroduction of Babycham Babe beauty contests that had been popular in the 1960s. The iconic 'Babycham' logo was designed and created by John Emperor of Collett Dickenson Pearce. The Showerings' company was bought by Allied Breweries in 1968 and with it the Babycham brand. The sons of the original Showerings founders went on to produce
Brothers Cider Brothers Cider is a brand of fruit cider originating in Somerset in South West England. Originally available at music festivals, it is now served in pubs, bars and stores across the United Kingdom and internationally in countries such as Thailand, ...
, and in 2021 bought the Babycham brand back from its then owner
Accolade Wines Accolade Wines is an international wine business with headquarters in South Australia and corporate offices in Melbourne. It has been owned by The Carlyle Group, an American private equity company, since 2018. Accolade, which predominantly uses ...
for an undisclosed sum.


In the 2010s

During 2011 sales were reported to be increasing, with approximately 15 million bottles sold each year. In 2013 a trademark dispute between Accolade Wines and the Cath Kidston home furnishings company was taken to the High Court.


References

{{Alcoholic drinks Products introduced in 1953 Alcoholic drink brands British brands Culture in Somerset English alcoholic drinks Shepton Mallet