Blake’s Hard Cider, a multimillion-dollar national brand, can be traced back to a 77-year-old apple farm in Armada, Michigan.
Thanks to third-generation farmer Andrew Blake’s vision and ingenuity, what started as a tiny family business has grown into a well-known brand in the cider sector. However, Blake’s Hard Cider’s history dates back to a pledge made in the darkest days of World War II.
A Pledge That Began a Legacy
Gerald Blake and his wife, Lovely, are the founders of Blake’s Hard Cider. During World War II, Gerald made a vow to his wife that, should he survive the conflict, they would abandon the busy city and begin a new life in the peaceful countryside.
Gerald kept his word in 1946 and bought a 100-acre apple farm in Armada, Michigan, where he and his wife reared 13 children.
After the farm became a family business, twins Pete and Paul Blake numbers 11 and 12 in the family tree took over the company. But Andrew Blake, Paul’s son, saw a chance to grow the farm into a much larger enterprise a cider company that would eventually become well-known.
The History of Hard Cider at Blake
During his time at Michigan State University (MSU), Andrew Blake developed a keen interest in the growing trend of craft beer. He saw that consumers were increasingly discriminating and curious about the origins and makers of the beverages they bought. Blake’s Hard Cider was formed from Andrew’s vision to merge his family’s apple business with this expanding trend.
“I saw hard cider as a chance to leverage our family’s platform and create a year-round revenue stream,” Andrew said. “Farming is seasonal, and while we were successful, we faced challenges with the seasonal highs and lows.”
In his garage, Andrew experimented with producing cider throughout his undergraduate years, providing enthusiastic college students with samples at tailgate parties. Because of the encouraging responses from these informal taste tests, he was able to present the proposal to his family with confidence.
Blake’s Hard Cider made its formal debut in the winter of 2013, employing 280-gallon wine tanks to produce its first batch of cider and hand-bottling 50 cases per day.
Quick Development and Nationwide Expansion
Blake’s Hard Cider went from being a little garage company to becoming the top cider brand in Michigan in just over ten years. The firm currently produces close to 6,000 cases a day, and 29 states in the Midwest, South, and East of the United States carry its products. The business has grown steadily, with revenues rising by 10% in 2022 and 2023.
The key to the company’s success is Blake’s signature product, Triple Jam, a semi-sweet cider with 6.5% ABV created with strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Sales of Triple Jam increased by 24% between 2022 and 2023, maintaining its status as the brand’s best-selling product.
In 2022, Blake’s introduced American Apple Cider, an 8% ABV semi-sweet imperial cider, and Triple Jam. Sales of this kind, which has a greater alcohol content, increased by an amazing 85% in 2023, demonstrating how rapidly it acquired appeal. Following the popularity of these goods, Blake unveiled Big Jam, an 8% ABV imperial version of Triple Jam.
Novel Approaches and Prudent Purchases
Blake’s Hard Cider kept developing new ideas and diversifying its offerings as the business grew. In 2022, Blake purchased the Pacific Northwest-based Avid Cider Company, and the two companies then partnered with Austin Eastciders in Texas.
Due to these actions, Blake’s Beverage Company was established as the second-biggest cider company in the US.
According to Andrew Blake, this growth was necessary for the company to grow. “We saw the need to create a larger platform,” he stated. “By bringing in experts from the industry and acquiring well-known brands, we’ve positioned ourselves for sustainable growth.”
Ryan Burk, the company’s vice president of innovation and quality, was one of the important specialists Blake brought on board. Burk, a veteran of the industry-leading Angry Orchard and Virtue Cider, was in charge of ensuring Blake’s kept up its innovative spirit and production of top-notch goods.
“What’s cool about Blake’s Beverage Company is that we have three distinct brands Blake’s, Austin Eastciders, and Avid and each has its own identity and speaks to different regional consumers,” Burk stated. “We’re maintaining three different streams of cider that are all unique, with their own ingredients and production practices.”
The Cider Market’s Evolution
Although Blake’s has grown significantly, the cider business as a whole has faced certain difficulties. IWSR, a research company that focuses on alcoholic drinks, claims that throughout the last five years, the cider industry has remained mostly stable. But every year, regional and local firms like Blake’s bring the industry closer to expansion.
Burk and Adam Rogers, Research Director for North America at IWSR, believe innovation is the key to growth. “Innovative flavor profiles and varying levels of ABV continue to drive awareness of the cider segment,” Rogers said. “We’re seeing more interest in light ciders with lower calories and sugar, which bode well for the category’s future.”
Burk concurred, highlighting cider’s adaptability. “Cider is a great carrier for other fruit flavors,” he stated. “American drinkers are looking for something new, and cider is well-positioned to meet that demand with innovative blends and new flavors.”
Holding Fast to Their Heritage
Blake’s Hard Cider is strongly connected to its origins, even with its quick expansion and wide national reach. Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill, a 1,500-acre family farm, still operates today. It grows apples and other crops and offers seasonal events like apple picking.
Two to three million people visit the farm’s four retail outlets yearly, enjoying a distinctive consumer experience combining entertainment and agriculture.
Andrew Blake states, “the family farm is the soul of the Blake’s Hard Cider brand.” “The farm continues to be the cornerstone of all we do, even as we grow. It keeps us centered on our clients and grounded.”
The farm has also introduced a range of non-alcoholic drinks in recent years, using its experience in the cider industry to create new goods. “We’re learning from each other and helping each other grow,” Blake stated. “It’s a healthy relationship, and things are good on the farm.”
In Conclusion
Blake’s Hard Cider proves the strength of enterprise, creativity, and family. With the help of his family and Andrew Blake’s vision, what started as a tiny Michigan apple farm has grown into a well-known cider business.
With a focus on quality, creative product creation, and calculated acquisitions, Blake’s Hard Cider has established itself as a leader in the cider market.
The company’s links to the family farm guarantee it stays true to its beginnings while seizing new chances as it expands.
Blake’s Hard Cider has solid sales, a devoted following, and an emphasis on innovation, all of which position it to successfully manage the difficulties facing the cider industry and build on its success going forward.
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