This is a part of a monthly series of Q&As with members of the cider community from across the U.S. Brewer Magazine & Cider Business will share business and personal insights from decision makers in the cider industry to help you get to know each other better and learn more to better develop your own brand.
Aaron Sarnoff-Wood, Co-Founder & VP of Sales, 2 Towns Ciderhouse — Corvallis, Oregon
BREWER: What recent significant changes in the cider industry have you noticed, and how has your cidery adapted to it?
SARNOFF-WOOD: Like most industries, we’ve seen inflation driving up costs on many of the ingredients and packaging materials we use in crafting our ciders. We’ve avoided increases to our prices so far by adjusting our product mix to focus on higher profit brands and/or those that qualified for lower tax rates. Many consumers have less disposable income and are choosing to spend less on the non-essentials. We wanted to make sure that our brand is an attainable luxury even when times get tighter.
BREWER: What core values guide your decision-making, and how do you ensure those values show up in your cider and your business practices?
SARNOFF-WOOD: As the most medaled cider producer in the nation, we take pride in our quality. We work with growers around the world to source the best fruits available for our ciders and we use exclusively fresh-pressed juices — no concentrates or flavorings. None of this is easy to accomplish, but it makes the best cider. Similarly as we went to market, we realized long ago that cider was not front of mind for most retailers or distributors — so we had to provide a level of service that was impossible to ignore. By pushing harder, we’ve been able to separate ourselves from the herd both in product quality and as a business partner.
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?
SARNOFF-WOOD: My team are experts at what they do. I’m a strong believer in providing a framework and then giving them the room to innovate in their space. From staff on the packaging line to top sales executives, my door is always open for feedback and concepts for future direction. We encourage continued education and I realize that we can’t be successful without their contributions. We promote from within, and much of our leadership team came from entry roles in the company. The experience that comes with a long tenure in differing roles at the company provides a more holistic understanding of their role and needs of the company.
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?
SARNOFF-WOOD: Both cider and wine are agricultural products. We live and work in the same regions where most of our ingredients are grown. To ensure that the places we work and live are excellent, we contribute to dozens of local organizations that benefit the community. From food shares to low income housing projects to pet adoptions, we’re active members in raising funds and awareness. We believe a community needs to be supported by the arts as well, so we contribute to local theaters and music halls as well to help ensure that our home is supported by a rich culture.
BREWER: What are you sippin’ on right now from your cidery that you really enjoy?
SARNOFF-WOOD: I’m setting up for our annual Harvest Party and we’re expecting around 5,000 attendees. We showcase over 80 ciders from past and present at this event. New to market is our Huckleberry Cosmic which features the Cosmic Crisp apple melded with fresh huckleberries. Something a little less well known and a personal favorite is our Pommeau, a French-styled apple port. It’s strong and rich in flavor and perfect for an after dinner treat.
READ MORE: Why 2 Towns Added Hard Tea to its Lineup
BREWER: When you think 10–15 years down the line, what do you want your cidery to be known for, and what steps are you taking now to move in that direction?
SARNOFF-WOOD: We started production in 2010 as one of the first in the resurgence of the craft hard cider movement. Being part of that movement has allowed us to help shape the trajectory of the US cider industry to become one of the largest in the world. In 10-15 years, I would like our brand to be internationally known for the best quality ciders while retaining the accessibility of everyday price and broad availability in the market. Additionally, I’d like to see our brand expand to extend our cider quality ethos to other categories such as the canned cocktail space for which we currently produce Craftwell Cocktails or the growing non-alcoholic space. As the beverage market evolves, it’s important to diversify and we’ve developed strong relationships in our ingredient supply chain which can be applied across a broad spectrum of premium craft offerings that can evolve with consumer tastes.
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