Blake’s Hard Cider, Austin Eastciders and Avid Cider Co. Join Forces to Resurrect America's Cider Tradition

In a groundbreaking collaboration, Michigan's Blake’s Hard Cider, Texas-based Austin Eastciders, and the Pacific Northwest’s Avid Cider Co. (recently acquired by Blake’s Hard Cider) are uniting to breathe new life into an iconic piece of American history—the beloved tradition of hard cider.

This strategic alliance gives birth to Blake’s Beverage Company, heralding the resurgence of cider as "America’s Drink." Dating back to 1899, hard cider once dominated the preferences of millions of Americans, with a staggering 55 million gallons produced in the United States alone. Today, the cider category is undergoing a renaissance, attracting consumers seeking authentic, innovative, and fruit-forward options for various occasions.

Blake’s Hard Cider, deeply rooted in a sprawling 1,000-acre apple-producing farm in Armada, Michigan, boasts a family legacy spanning nearly 80 years. Avid Cider Company, originating from the cider-rich Pacific Northwest in Bend, Oregon, injects an adventurous spirit into this patriotic collaboration. Meanwhile, Austin Eastciders, nurtured in the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin, Texas, adds a distinctive Texan twist to the unified partnership.

Positioned as a powerhouse in cultivating cider culture, Blake’s Beverage Company currently holds the top spot in both Texas and Michigan. The mission is clear—to leverage this passionate home market presence and bold flavor innovations to captivate consumers across the entire United States.

Key Highlights of the Partnership

National Scale: With operations spanning New York, Michigan, Oregon, and Texas, Blake’s Beverage Company achieves significant scale, covering all primary apple-growing regions in the US. This extensive presence guarantees a steady apple supply for all brands within the portfolio, estimated to reach close to two million cases in 2023.

Diverse Portfolio: Blake’s Beverage Company can now offer a comprehensive portfolio of products, featuring a variety of flavors across multiple price tiers. This strategic move allows the company to reach a broader range of consumers in various shopping and drinking settings.

While the specific details of this groundbreaking deal remain undisclosed to the public, industry insiders are abuzz with anticipation about the impact this partnership will have on the cider landscape. Stay tuned for further developments as Blake’s Beverage Company sets out to make cider history once again.

About the Key Players

ABOUT AUSTIN EASTCIDERS 

With the inclusive rallying-cry, "Cider Y'all," Austin Eastciders produces craft ciders in Austin, Texas, using real ingredients and bittersweet apples to create traditionally inspired ciders. Founded in 2013, Austin Eastciders offers a robust core collection including the best-selling Original Dry, Blood Orange, Pineapple and Imperial Tropical Punch. The cidery also produces a rotating line of limited release ciders ranging from Piña Colada to Hatch Green Chile – and everything in between – available in small batches in Texas and at their Collaboratory location, open 7 days a week on the East Side of Austin. Can’t make it to Texas? That’s too bad, we wish you could! You can pick up a Taste of Texas in Austin Eastciders packaged products available across 22 states including the Northeast, Southeast and Southwest. For the latest on Austin Eastciders, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@eastciders) or visit austineastciders.com

ABOUT AVID CIDER COMPANY

Avid Cider Company seeks to provide the category solution to what we found was a lack of balance between excessively dry or cloyingly sweet ciders available in the marketplace in 2013. Founded as the "just right" alternative to the burgeoning cider market, Avid saw the opportunity to create better balanced hard cider that still quenches the consumer's deep thirst for adventure. We are on a mission to bring out the best of the Northwest with our clean, natural, and locally-sourced cider.

As a company with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, Avid fosters a deep connection to our consumers, providing award-winning cider  with off-the-wall consumer experiences, Bend-ing the rules for what cider can be in Bend, Oregon and beyond. To keep up with Avid Cider, follow us on Facebook (@AVIDCider) and Instagram (@avidcidercompany) or visit avidcider.com. 

ABOUT BLAKE’S HARD CIDER COMPANY

Blake's Orchard and Cider Mill, founded in 1946 by Gerald and Elisabeth Blake in Armada, Michigan, was the birthplace of Blake’s Hard Cider in 2013. Andrew Blake, a third-generation farmer, launched the company, a family-owned and operated American craft cider brand, right on the family's 78-year-old farm in hopes of challenging the status quo of "hard cider", with a focus on fresh pressed apples and adventurous flavor profiles. 

In a short ten years of operating, Blake’s Hard Cider is now a top 10 brand in the US and #1 in Michigan, with distribution across 29 states, and three manufacturing facilities. The brand remains rooted in fruit-forward product innovation with flavors that play outside the lines of traditional hard cider, offering customers a more unique yet still approachable beverage to enjoy. To keep up with Blake’s Hard Cider, follow us on Instagram and Facebook (@blakeshardciderco).