Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Cider-maker to cross line
Springdale’s Black Apple sets first sales out of state.
Springdale-based Black Apple will soon be distributing its hard cider in Oklahoma, its first foray selling its products outside of Arkansas.
The rollout into northeast Oklahoma, including the Tulsa area, begins March 22, according to the cider company. The company’s ciders, including its seasonal products, will soon be found in dozens of bars, restaurants and in retail outlets.
“We are excited to [take] Black Apple outside the state of Arkansas, and in particular, to Northeast Oklahoma,” Leo Orpin, Black Apple cofounder, said in a statement. “We wanted this region to be our first launch location outside of Arkansas. We’re neighbors. We spend a lot of time in Tulsa and the surrounding areas, and we are thrilled to join Oklahoma’s thriving maker culture.”
Black Apple added fulltime employees in sales and production as part of the Oklahoma rollout. It employs 23 people.
According to an April 2020 Cider Production report by market research group Ibis World, while alcoholic cider only recently emerged as a major industry revenue growth, it has bested the breweries, wine and distilleries in revenue growth. The report indicated over the five years to 2020, annual revenue in the cider industry was up 5.5% for a total of $569.1 million in 2019. Continued growth is anticipated with an annual gain of 6.7% over the next five years.
A note in the report regarding the impact of co
vid-19 on the industry indicated revenue growth was expected to slow significantly in 2020 because of restrictions on larger gatherings and demand suffering attributed to the reduced capacity and closures at restaurants and bars. It points out alcoholic beverages tend to weather periods of consumer uncertainty better than other industries and smaller, more localized supply chains — like those typically found in the cider industry — tend to fare better in uncertain times compared with those with a global reach.
In response to email questions, Maddie Hernandez, marketing director for Black Apple, said the company lost business during the covid-19 pandemic when sales at its Springdale taproom and product distribution to bars and restaurants took a hit. The company did see an uptick in the sales of its canned ciders. She said the company is looking forward to regaining its momentum this year.
Black Apple will participate in tap takeovers and other promotions in and around Tulsa as part of the cider maker’s move into Oklahoma. LDF Sales and Distributing is the company distributing Black Apple products in Oklahoma.
Trey Holt, Leo Orpin and John Handley founded the cidery in 2014.
The cider company opened its taproom and production facility in downtown Springdale on Emma Street in 2015.
In earlier interviews, Holt and Orpin said Black Apple sources its ingredients locally whenever possible, and that meshes well with the company’s focus on keeping its products free of preservatives and other additives. The company fuses European ciders with flavors unique to Arkansas.
Hernandez said over the last year the company added multiple seasonal ciders to its offerings throughout the year, giving cider lovers a new cider to look for at stores every month.
The cider-maker rolled out distribution of its products to all of Arkansas about a year ago and serves hundreds of restaurants, bars and retailers in the state. The year prior it started offering its cider in Central Arkansas. It is distributed in Arkansas by C&M Sales, a division of Little Rock-based Central & Moon Distributors.
“As we continue to expand our capacity we will constantly be evaluating different bordering regions to determine the next best area for distribution,” Hernandez said.