Graft Cider is a small cidery that’s relatively new to the game, but it manages to have a wide reach despite being packaged only.
The Hillsborough, New Jersey cidery with a focus on sour ciders has distribution in 18 states as well as in China, Japan and Europe despite having its name on just handles and shelves. Its growing reputation can be attributed in part to usage of other available avenues to gain exposure among potential customers.
Social media plays a role, Cellar Tech Caitlin Burton said, but so does in person marketing and collaborating with other businesses in the beverage alcohol space.
“Social media is definitely key these days in any aspect, but we like to do a lot of events,” Burton told Brewer. “We’ll do New York Cider Week and send people to the city and do a lot of events in bars. We’ll go to lots of bars and taprooms to get our name out there.”
Breweries in other states have also been key in helping Graft grow its reach, said Burton, noting that it was helpful to have a presence in a space where people might try your product.
“We’ve collaborated a lot throughout the years with breweries in other states, getting ourselves out there with those audiences,” Burton said. “Being able to go to different shows and tastings across the board in states where we’re available is huge.”
Graft checks a couple of boxes whenever its product becomes available in a new state.
“When we start a new state, we do a collaboration and an event,” she said. “When I started a couple of years ago, we did a collaboration with Crooked Stave. We did other stuff while we were out there. It’s just about being present with customers.”
The cider club and VinoShipper have been other tools that have been key to Graft’s steady growth.
“We do a monthly club and once a month I hear from the person who handles that who says they need help with all of the boxes,” Burton said. “It’s 200 or more people getting cider from us every month.”
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