Babycham () is the trade name of a light (6% ABV), sparkling
perry
Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also mad ...
invented by
Francis Showering, a brewer in
Shepton Mallet in
Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
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, 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 first submitted his new drink to the
Three Counties
The Three Counties of England are traditionally the three agrarian counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Including towns and cities such as Worcester, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Hereford, Leominster, Stourbridge, Evesham, ...
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 novelist, and gourmet who founded the '' Good Food Guide''. He was a member of the Postgate fa ...
, 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 H ...
and
Hereford. Until suitable trees could be grown locally, pear juice was imported from
Switzerland. The profits helped to pay for the landscaping of the gardens at the company's headquarters at
Kilver Court.
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 on television. 1993 saw a major relaunch of the brand and the reintroduction of the
chamois 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
Collett Dickenson Pearce & Partners (CDP) was a British advertising agency which operated from 1960 till 2000. It was founded by John Pearce and Ronnie Dickenson who bought an existing agency owned by John Collett. The agency played a pivotal ro ...
.
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, 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
Catherine Isabel Audrey Kidston (born 6 November 1958) is an English fashion designer, businesswoman and author whose company, Cath Kidston Limited sells home furnishings and related goods online, through franchises and by mail order. She is ...
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