Blake’s Beverage Company, representing the combined efforts of three leading cider brands—Blake’s Hard Cider, Austin Eastciders, and AVID Cider Co.—entered 2024 as the nation’s second-largest independent cider company. With a bolstered national presence and a commitment to bold, fruit-forward hard beverages crafted from fresh ingredients, Blake’s Beverage Company has forged several new distribution partnerships this year. The cider category continues to be one of the fastest-growing beverage segments, with Imperial Cider pacing just behind Imperial IPA as the largest growth driver in craft beverages, positioning Blake’s well for growth in 2024.
In the first two quarters of 2024, Blake’s Hard Cider, Michigan’s leading cidery, expanded its market presence and product offerings significantly, adding new distribution partners in Greater Pittsburgh (INCO Beverage & Galli Beer Distributing), Greater Nashville (Ajax Turner Co. Inc), Southern California (Stone Distributing), and Waterloo, Iowa (Fahr Distributing). They also launched in the Greater St. Louis market with four new partners (Krey Distributing Co., Grey Eagle Distributors, Lohr Distributing, and H.W. Herrell Distributing) and in the Pacific Northwest, in Oregon and Washington with Maletis, Bigfoot, and Summit Distributing, and in Montana with Bronken’s Distributing.
Blake’s distribution portfolio includes flagships like American Apple, which debuted as Blake’s first-released imperial cider in 2022 and continues to see an increased rate of sale, and Triple Jam, Blake’s sales-leading semi-sweet cider. Their Spring and Summer seasonals, Cherry Limeade and Raspberry Tea, are pushing category boundaries.
In March, Blake’s collaborated with a Michigan-based spirits producer to release a vodka inspired by Triple Jam, celebrating its 5-year anniversary this year. In addition to expanding their distribution and portfolio, Blake’s Hard Cider signed a sponsorship agreement with Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
“We’re excited to see the Blake’s Hard Cider brand lead the industry in terms of volume and dollar share growth,” said Andrew Blake, Founder and CEO of Blake’s Beverage Company. “We’re setting ourselves up for a very exciting back half of the year with similar sales and marketing approaches to the Avid and Austin brand families.”
Texas-based Austin Eastciders, which was Texas’ top-selling cidery last year, has maintained its momentum in 2024 with strategic expansions and product launches. Austin Eastciders launched in Florida with seven distributors and in California with Stone Distributing. In March, the cidery released Rico Tepache, a fourth-category product innovation, as its latest year-round, fruit-based beverage across Texas and Southwestern states.
“We’ve hired two regional managers and five field sales managers this quarter,” said Chase Kushak, President of Blake’s Beverage Company. “We’re leaning into a strong sales strategy throughout 2024 supported by people and product innovation.”
Oregon-based AVID Cider Co. completed a multi-year expansion effort last year to support the cidery’s six-state distribution footprint in the Northwest. In February, AVID launched Tuesday Cocktail Club, its new fresh-pressed apple wine RTD, in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Nevada.
With each brand in the Blake’s Beverage Company family celebrating its 11th anniversary in 2024, Blake’s Hard Cider, Austin Eastciders, and AVID Cider Co. are evolving with the industry, bringing innovative product lineups in the fourth category to expanded points of distribution this year.
