Business is booming for Bristol cider maker Thatchers.

The Sandford firm has had its best year yet, with sales up once again, and having more of its products in store such as Sainsbury's and Tesco including Thatchers Gold, Old Rascal and Pear Cider in 500ml bottles.

Its popular Gold has sold more than six million pints in the last year on draught alone.

With investment of over £1 million in the last year, the company continually looks to embrace new technology.

In the autumn it commissioned a state-of-the-art, fully automated fermentation and chilled filtration system.

With 12 stainless steel fermentation tanks, each holding 68,000 litres, this ensures the yeasts used in the cider making process are kept in right conditions.

Managing director Martin Thatcher said: "This equipment ensures a consistent fermentation every time.

"Fermentation takes place when apple juice is added to yeast to produce alcohol.

"Interestingly yeasts have 95 per cent of their genetics similar to those of a human being, and like us, they need the optimum living conditions, nutrients and the appropriate care to flourish.

" This new system gives our yeast the highest levels of care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

"To craft the high quality cider the consumer has come to expect, we need the best raw materials and cider-making experience passed down over the generations, combined with this technically-advanced equipment that allows us to produce a consistent product."

Thatchers Cider was founded in 1904 by William John Thatcher. Today, the company employs 70 people, and is still situated on the family farm in Sandford.

Martin, William's great grandson, is managing director, and Martin's father, John, is chairman.

The company is undoubtedly proud of its roots, and its philosophy of combining its heritage with the latest production methods is as strong as ever.

Thatchers bottled products can be found in every major UK supermarket and its draught and bottled products are stocked in pubs throughout the country.

Its mail order business has grown by 30 per cent over the last 12 months, and sales from its farm shop have grown by 40 per cent in the last two years.