Ted and Lauren Vollo of Summerland Heritage Cider Co. will welcome guests during the annual Light Up the Vines event this winter.
According to Cider Canada, an association for cider producers across the country, the Canadian craft cider industry has witnessed exponential growth over the past few decades. From just a handful of producers in the 2000s, there are now more than 370 cideries spread across every province and nearly every territory. As the industry flourishes, cideries from coast to coast are devising creative ways to attract visitors during the colder months, when tasting room traffic can be slow.
Innovative strategies are essential to attract visitors during the traditionally slower fall and winter seasons. Craft cideries across Canada utilize a blend of marketing strategies to generate awareness and attract visitors during these quieter times. Social media is a pivotal tool, with many cideries relying on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to promote their events, new cider releases and seasonal activities.
Here’s a glimpse into how some of Canada’s most popular craft cideries are planning to draw in crowds this fall and winter.
Many cideries, like Lake City Cider in Dartmouth and Island Folk Cider House on Cape Breton in Sydney, Nova Scotia, are leveraging seasonal flavours and local ingredients to create unique cider offerings that resonate with palates over the colder months. These include cranberry, spiced and ginger snap ciders, which draw in visitors looking for comforting and festive drinks.
Lake City Cider owner, Poet Comeau, shares that to complement these seasonal beverages, cideries like hers are hosting a variety of events. Lake City Cider leans into collaborations to extend their audience and features pop-ups from local businesses. Pop-ups range from cupcakes to plant sales.
At Jill McPherson’s Sydney, Nova Scotia-based Island Folk Cider House, there is a hub of activity year-round. The team offers weekly trivia nights, musical performances and also does community collaborations, ensuring a steady stream of activities for visitors.
Similarly, Summerland Heritage Cider in Summerland, B.C., participates in community holiday-themed events like Bottleneck Drive’s Light Up the Vines, as well as hosting art workshops, live music and other community activities, providing guests with a cozy and festive atmosphere.
These cideries effectively market their activities and generate awareness through a mix of digital and traditional strategies. Social media plays a key role. Island Folk Cider House, for example, uses social media to advertise their trivia nights and musical performances, and Summerland Heritage Cider highlights their holiday-themed events and workshops online.
Additionally, targeted, paid advertisements and newsletters help reach a broader audience. Taves Estate Cidery in Abbotsford, B.C., uses a range of tactics, implemented by Summer Dhillon of Slap Communications and her team.
“It’s social, newsletter and media love,” she says. Tactics like newsletters, and media coverage are used to promote unique events like goat cuddles, pumpkin cider tastings and cider advent calendars. “In the fall, the magic of the farm brings thousands of people and the cidery is positioned as an additional experience; whereas, in the summer the cidery is the sole attraction.”
Other cideries focus on creating memorable outdoor experiences and festive activities to keep guests entertained.
West Avenue Cider in Ontario co-founder Amy Robson says, “We still get visitors during the fall and winter.” This cidery embraces the season by offering a winter hiking trail, hot mulled cider, firepit rentals and a bustling Christmas market, using social media and email campaigns to keep their audience informed and excited.
Meanwhile, Woodward Cider Co. in Kamloops, B.C. captivates families with a pumpkin patch in the fall. With a farm that is also home to a Christmas tree farm, Woodward is big on Christmas activities including visits with Santa and hayrides, which are all promoted on their social media channels.
At The County Cider Company Inc. in Waupoos, Ontario, they have a farm operation with a retail store and patio restaurant. Social media posts showcase their breathtaking views overlooking orchards and Prince Edward Bay and draw people in to view harvest pressings, as their production continues year-round. Having an onsite restaurant allows visitors to enjoy the picturesque setting any time of year.
Millionaires’ Row Cider in Summerland, B.C. operates a tasting room through September before transforming it into owner, Janet Annable’s production cellar. While the tasting room remains closed in the winter, the cidery participates in craft markets and continues to sell products directly to consumers who pick up their orders. Social media is where the team shares how to find the cidery in the community.
By combining unique events, seasonal products and a robust social media presence, these cideries ensure they remain vibrant destinations even in the chillier months.
Guests sample a cider flight at Island Folk Cider House in Sydney, Nova Scotia, enjoying unique craft blends (left). A variety of apples, grown in the orchards of The County Cider Company in Waupoos, Ontario, are used in their artisanal ciders (right).