Archive for September 2025
September 2025: Update from ACA CEO Monica Cohen
Six plus months ago, I stepped into this role as CEO of the American Cider Association (ACA). Semi-retired after more than 30 years in food and beverage, I missed having a community and being challenged. With cider, I’ve found both.
Since its founding, the ACA has achieved a lot for this industry. But in my short time here, it’s become clear: we need to do more, and we need to do better. I’m hell-bent on it.
Through conversations with our Board, staff, and many of you, I’ve been focused on building better. Here’s what that looks like so far:
- Advocacy that punches harder. The reintroduction of the Bubble Tax Bill is worth celebrating, but it’s just the beginning. We’re preparing to bring on some D.C. heavy hitters to move the needle for cider more aggressively on Capitol Hill.
- Education that reaches further. We’ve added two licensed educators, signed a new university partnership (announcement coming soon), and begun building the next level of programming. Next up: taking cider education to wholesale distributors.
- Partnerships that deliver more value. CiderCon® is a highlight, but our work with vendors can’t stop there. Our new Preferred Vendor Program is designed to save you money and strengthen your business year-round.
- Consumers who know cider. We’ve started small but important steps to boost cider’s visibility with drinkers through social media and increased media outreach, supporting your efforts to get cider on more radars and in more glasses.
- Membership that multiplies our power. More members mean more advocacy, more discounts, more clout. Imagine the impact if every cidery in the U.S. had a voice in the ACA. That’s the future we need to build together and why we have stepped up our efforts to increase membership.
This progress matters — but it’s not enough. Every day, you’re producing world-class ciders, running taprooms, and making tough choices about where to invest. You deserve an association that delivers more: more advocacy, more awareness, more data, more wins.
Right now, ACA is too thinly resourced to deliver at the level you need. I feel that every single day in this role. There are things I want and need to do for this industry, but without more support, I can’t move fast enough or far enough.
That’s why we launched our first-ever Capital Campaign this summer. Thanks to early champions — members and enthusiasts who have contributed — we’ve built a strong foundation.
But we’re still a long way from our $250,000 goal.
This is the moment to act. Whether it’s $25/month or a one-time gift, your support allows us to do more. Together, we can build the future this industry deserves.
October is National Cider Month: ACA is a Supporting Partner
National Cider Month is back for 2025! Founded by Schilling Cider in 2022, National Cider Month has grown into an industry-wide celebration of cider, cidermakers, and the apple harvest season. Held throughout October, this is a powerful opportunity to elevate the craft, connect with consumers, and shift perceptions about cider.
A number of cider companies have participated in a variety of ways in the last few years – from organizing promotions at the store shelf to drawing consumers into their tap rooms with special events. According to IRI data, cider sales saw a 5% lift during National Cider Month in its first year, highlighting the impact of coordinated consumer-facing promotion.
As we’re all about moving more cider, the American Cider Association is proud to be a supporting partner of National Cider Month. Leading up to – and throughout the month of October, we will be amplifying National Cider Month and member events as well as securing media coverage to help drive visibility and excitement for cider.
More than 160 cideries and counting have signed on to participate in National Cider Month. Once signed up you can access National Cider Month logos and other promotion materials as well as have your cidery and special events listed. Visit www.nationalcidermonth.com to learn more, register, and get involved. Scroll to the bottom and click Participate in NCM to start the sign up process.
Let’s work together to make sure it’s cider’s time!
September 2025: Monthly Market Updates from Sightlines
Each month consumer insights platform Sightlines will share one quick hit you can use to make confident decisions. Also, ACA members get 50% off a Sightlines subscription. Find the discount code in the Resource Hub.
Non-White Americans Increase as a Portion of Regular Drinkers
As debate continues around the meaning of a recent Gallup poll about alcohol consumption, updated government data offers additional context and nuance about who is and isn’t drinking.
The 2024 results of an annual survey by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) were released in late July, and offer further insight into which Americans are changing their relationships to alcohol. The high-level findings back up what the Gallup poll found: Broadly, a lower percentage of Americans report past-month alcohol use in 2024 compared to the year prior. Yet the demographic shifts within this paint a more nuanced picture.
Drawing on both the Gallup poll and SAMHSA data, we see that declines in alcohol use are steepest among young, White, Republican-leaning men. Meanwhile, Hispanic and Asian drinkers show upticks in past-month drinking compared to 2021.
Those increases are especially notable given that 2021 was still well within the era of COVID-induced at-home indulgence. That some groups of Americans report increased rates of past-month alcohol use compared to that time is remarkable.
What does this mean for cidermakers? Non-white women are the future of alcohol consumption in the U.S., and that future is coming quickly. Women and Hispanic drinkers in particular are increasing as a share of regular drinkers at the same time that white men are driving declines. It’s not just about marketing to these more diverse drinkers, it’s about centering their voices and preferences.