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Nominations for 2022 ACA Board of Directors Open

By Michelle McGrath | January 6, 2022

Running for the ACA board of directors is a great way to get involved in lifting our industry up. We are actively recruiting individuals from US-based cider companies to run for the board of directors. These are volunteer positions with a three year commitment. Active membership of the association is required and candidates must be…

Q3 Trends Available for Download

By Woodley Smith | January 5, 2022

Q3 reports are available for download as part of your ACA membership benefits. Regional cider brand sales were up 11% for year over year comparisons of Nielsen-measured off-premise channels for the 52-week period ending with Q3. Total cider category sales for the 52-week period ending with Q3 were up 2% compared to 2019 and down…

ACA Receives Grant for “Year of the Apple” in Virginia

By Woodley Smith | January 5, 2022

The American Cider Association is proud to announce a new partnership with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services through a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant awarded for $70,012. Starting in early 2022, the American Cider Association (ACA) and their partners in Virginia cidermaking and agriculture will launch “The Year of The Apple,” an…

Letter from Board President Eleanor Leger

By Woodley Smith | January 5, 2022

Dear Cider Friends – As the new year begins, I am reflecting on the special challenges our incredible industry faces. 2022 will inevitably require more adaptation to supply chain issues, inflation, labor shortages, and the ongoing impact of the pandemic on sales channels and business models. These conditions are impacting all sectors of the alcoholic…

CiderCon 2022 Health and Safety Guidelines

By Michelle McGrath | December 18, 2021

The American Cider Association is taking utmost precautions to create a safe CiderCon environment. Our health and safety guidelines require all persons present at CiderCon 2022 to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 21 or to provide a negative PCR test within 3 days of arrival or to provide a negative antigen test within 24…

Advocacy Update: In Support of Harvest Dates

By Michelle McGrath | December 18, 2021

The American Cider Association (ACA) recently sent a letter to the TTB voicing the ACA’s support of a specific proposed labeling rule included in Notice 176, published in late 2018.  NOTICE 176 The notice contained proposed rules for modernizing wine (including cider), spirits and malt beverages labeling and advertising regulations. The ACA, many regional cider…

Beer Kulture, ANXO Cider, and The American Cider Association Partner to Increase Diversity in the Cider Industry

By Woodley Smith | December 17, 2021

ANXO, Beer Kulture Kollaboration Cider Will Help Fund Cider Scholarships  Beer Kulture, ANXO Cider, and the American Cider Association have partnered to introduce three scholarship opportunities designed to bring new Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Native North American, Pacific Islander, and other BIPOC individuals into the cider industry. Each scholarship includes: Certified Cider Professional Level…

CiderCon Session: Can I Say That? Health and Nutrition Labeling Restrictions and Requirements

By Woodley Smith | December 14, 2021

Both the TTB and the FDA regulate what you can, can’t and MUST say on your cider packaging and in your promotions. Amidst a consumer-driven health craze, it’s important to know how these regulations impact your cidery. In this workshop, beverage-specialist attorney Marybeth Williams will walk you through these regulations when it comes to health…

CiderCon Session: New Skins: How Brand Positioning & Packaging Design Can Reinvigorate a Category & Connect with New Drinkers

By Woodley Smith | December 14, 2021

New CiderCon® 2022 Session! New Skins: How Brand Positioning & Packaging Design Can Reinvigorate a Category & Connect with New Drinkers Beyond packaging trends and gimmickry, there’s an opportunity for every brand to better understand and communicate a meaningful story. As a brand strategist in the beverage alcohol space, Michael Kiser will share industry analogs…

Creating Consumer Excitement with Food Pairing Suggestions

By Woodley Smith | December 10, 2021

Pairing food and cider is an important key to helping people learn to love the complexities and nuances of cider, but we all understand that it can be tricky business. Join us for a dive into putting theory into practice in this session with our Cider Education Outreach Manager, Jennie Dorsey at CiderCon® 2022 in…