How Lost Boy’s Wright Looks to Define What a Cidery Can Do to Lead in its Community

This is a part of a continuing series of Q&As with members of the cider community from across the US. Cider Business will share business and personal insights from Cidermakers, Owners, Managers, Sales Directors, QCQA and others each week to help you get to know each other better in the industry and learn more to better develop your own brand.

Tristan Wright, Founder & President, Lost Boy Cider — Alexandria, Virginia

BREWER: What recent significant changes in the cider industry have you noticed, and how has your cidery adapted to it?
WRIGHT: One of the biggest shifts we’ve seen is the customer’s growing demand for transparency and authenticity. Drinkers are paying closer attention to ingredients, process, and story. At Lost Boy, we’ve leaned into this by making our practices and sourcing fully transparent, highlighting Virginia apples and keeping our cider free from added sugars or concentrates. That honesty in the glass has built real loyalty with our customers.

BREWER: What core values guide your decision-making, and how do you ensure those values show up in your cider and your business practices?
WRIGHT: Our guiding values are simplicity, integrity, and connection. Every decision is filtered through those lenses. We keep our ciders clean and approachable, we’re transparent in how we run the business, and we work to foster connection — both in our team and in the community.

BREWER: How do you cultivate a strong team culture, and what do you think leaders often overlook when it comes to keeping employees engaged and inspired?
WRIGHT: For us, it comes down to communication and recognition. We try to keep things open and honest, whether that’s in staff meetings or one-on-one check-ins. I think leaders often underestimate the importance of simply listening — hearing your team out and acting on their input makes all the difference in engagement.

READ MORE: Ways to Build Visibility and Velocity Through Off-Premise Cider Sales

BREWER: In your view, what responsibility does a cidery have to its local community or the wider industry, and how do you try to live that out?
WRIGHT: We believe a cidery should be a good neighbor and a champion for the industry. Locally, that means partnering with schools, nonprofits, and local events, and making our space available for community gatherings. Industry-wide, it means sharing what we’ve learned, supporting other cideries, and helping to push cider forward as a respected category alongside beer and wine.

BREWER: What are you sippin’ on right now from your cidery that you really enjoy?
WRIGHT: Our newest seasonal, Pumpkin Head, a spiced cider that tastes like fall in a glass. It’s become a tasting room favorite already, and I’ve been enjoying it myself.