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The American Cider Association works to keep our members aware of emerging trends that impact our industry. Today, we’re excited to share that cideries from coast to coast are working together to claim October as National Cider Month! This effort was spearheaded by Schilling Cider in Washington with ambitions for an industry-wide, national campaign that helps cider dominate beverage conversations for the month of October.  They will share the agnostic assets they developed with anyone wanting to participate. 

National Cider Month assets: You can download National Cider Month assets HERE. Read through the brand standards guidelines to ensure proper use of the logos, badges, and marks. Use the National Cider Month occasion along with the logos, badges, and POS assets to help you and your sales folks land additional store placements, displays, on premise placements, events, and ultimately sales! 

The goal of the participating cideries is that by working together to grow National Cider Month, cider can get more focus from retail partners, garner more consumer recognition for the category, and continue to grow the US cider market. This year, National Cider Month has several retail chains participating including Whole Foods nationwide with stack out areas specifically reserved for small local cideries. How can you take advantage of National Cider Month? 

The National Cider Month website is now live. They are inviting participating cideries to submit your October events to the site. If your cidery plans to participate in National Cider Month, they are also collecting logos to be featured in a scrolling marquee on the home page. They invite you to upload your logos HERE. (EPS or SVG file, horizontally-oriented variation if possible, approximately within a 100 pixel width x 50 pixel height frame, the logos will be featured in white).

If you have questions feel free to reach out to hello@nationalcidermonth.com.

The ACA is excited to see this independent effort evolve and grow, and we look forward to celebrating National Cider Month together soon!

Happy International Women’s Day! 

What is this day for? International Women’s Day is a day to bring awareness to the lack of gender equity on our planet. Where does the U.S. fall in gender equity progress? The gender gap in pay is one measure of dynamic inequalities–just last year, U.S. “women earned 82% of what men earned, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of median hourly earnings of both full- and part-time workers.” (Pew Research) Researchers also found that this number hasn’t changed much in 20 years. 

As a cider industry, we can take steps to ensure we are part of progress on gender equity. Here are a few ways your cidery can lead the way on gender equity in hiring and HR:

• Post all jobs with a pay rate. 
• Avoid using gendered pronouns in job descriptions. 
• Evaluate your pay scales for equality–are people earning the same wage for similar positions?
• Use established skill-based assessments to promote. 
• Invest in making sure your company and your establishment are taking proactive steps to prevent gender-based violence and discrimination. 
• Increase women and non-binary representation in leadership and decision-making teams. 

In what ways are you promoting gender equity at your cidery? 

Did you miss Dr. J’s presentation at CiderCon® on Retaining Great Talent? Her tips are useful for recruiting and retaining a talented gender-diverse workforce. Check out her slides here.

Celebrate Women’s Voices

The cider industry has an extremely talented community of women doing incredible work. We’re celebrating International Women’s Day by sharing some of their stories with you. And to double the celebration–all these stories were written by women beverage journalists and storytellers! Enjoy this collection of recent publications by women, about women, and for cider!*

Cider Chat Podcast by Ria Windcaller –ACA 2023 Significant Impact Winner

• Super Power of the Bradford Pear with Eliza Greenman
• Cider Heroine Judith Maloney
• Variety Tips with the Quince Queen

Prohibitchin’ Newsletter by Beth Demmon 

• Olivia Maki is a Work In Progress
• The Cider Jawns are Paving a New Path
• Monique Tribble and Her Path to Joy

Courage and Other C Words by Jenn Martell

• One-on-One with Tegan of Lost Boy Cider
• One-on-One with Maggie and Morgan of Two-Broads Cider
• One-on-One with Jennie of ACA

Cider Culture

• Cidermaker Q&A: DOPE Cider House and Winery  with Malaika Tyson –ACA 2023 Significant Impact Winner
• Women Making Waves in the Cider World: Elizabeth Ryan of Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider by Malaika Tyson
• Women Making Waves in the Cider World: Gretchen Esbensen of Shoal Draft Cider by Malaika Tyson

CiderCraft Magazine

• Meriwether’s Taproom Manager Mixes it Up on Netflix Series by Molly Allen
• Book Review: The Lost Orchards by Liz Copa by Darlene Hayes –ACA 2020 Significant Impact Winner
• 4 Questions with Elle Correll, Co-Owner of Buskey Cider by Stasia Brewcynski

And Some Women-Created Stories About Apples That We Love:

• From Apples to Fromage: 5 episodes of cheese and cider pairing goodness from Talia Haykin and Colleen Vidlocker
• Apple of My Eye: Foxwhelp by Lily Waite for Pellicle Magazine
• Stoke Red: Small-Town Apple Wins Big Competition  by Darlene Hayes for Cidercraft Magazine

*Friendly reminder cider members–make sure you have Michelle McGrath on your press list. We want to elevate your press!

The American Cider Association is pleased to share that they will be hosting three book signing events in the Northwest with esteemed global cider ambassador and celebrated drinks author Claude Jolicoeur. Come to one of the events to learn more about cider and perry making traditions from around the world, take home a signed copy of his delighful book Cider Planet, and enjoy a refreshing cider. Books and cider will be available for sale at all events. Cider and books––what pairs better than that?

Book signing events will be held at the following:

• March 10, 2023 at 6:00 PM at The Place, 1212-D SE Powell, Portland, OR
• March 11, 2023 at 3:00 PM at Crush Cider Café, 1020 Wasco St., Hood River, OR
• March 15, 2023 at 5:00pm at Finnriver Farm & Cidery, 124 Center Rd., Chimacum, WA

Let us know you’ll be joining on Facebook!

Can’t make any of these three events? Claude will be presenting at the Northwest Cider Symposium in Tacoma, WA on March 14, 2023 and signing books as well. You must have registered for the Symposium in order to attend.