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Ontario Cider heads to California

Picton, ON – The County Cider Company, a Local Ontario cider producer is pleased to announce that its first export shipment of Waupoos Cider bottles and kegs arrived in Los Angeles, California this week.

The County Cider Company, located in Waupoos, Prince Edward County, Ontario has been seeing double digit growth in their cider sales for the past three years and now they are working with Half Pint Ciders out of Los Angeles to export their top selling brand, Waupoos Premium Cider. County Cider recently entered into an agreement with Half Pint to bring their ciders into the west coast USA market. A small order will be shipped by month end. Samples have already met with great success in this market and they anticipate gaining a significant share of the California cider market over the next few years.

Mark McTavish, President of Half Pint, has been courting retailers and licensees to start carrying the Waupoos brand as soon as it arrives. “Waupoos Cider has been a favorite of mine for several years, had it for the first time at a bar called Smokeless Joes in Toronto. Can't recall the year, but honestly I think it was 2002.” says McTavish, “Anyway, it's crazy to think that Waupoos was the cider that sent me down a path of cider drinking and then into the cider biz.”

Already samples have arrived and are gracing the shelves at places like The Spare Room, a modern day gaming parlour and cocktail lounge, situated in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. Plans are in the works for distribution in other west coast states as well. McTavish remarks, “My distributor in Washington loves the Waupoos, and Oregon is all set to push as well. Whole Foods is also pushing our products across the entire state in Oregon.”

The County Cider Company was established in 1995 by owner, Grant Howes, at his family’s farm. The orchard now has one of the largest plantings of traditional cider apples in North America. It produces its ciders in a sustainable manner and is a carbon positive company. County Cider’s flagship brand, County Premium Cider, has been a general list product at the LCBO since 1996. “Our mandate is simple”, says Howes, “produce real ciders derived from apples grown on the family owned farms and make those ciders using methods akin to the production of fine wines following European purity laws.” Grant Howes’ vision is “to increase the awareness of Canadian Cider both domestically and abroad and have our cider personify this recognition.”

Source: Onapple


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