What Stem Ciders does

Stem Ciders is a craft cidery founded in 2013 by Eric Foster and Phil Kao (originally from Michigan) in Lafayette, Colorado. The company produces hard and non-alcoholic ciders from fresh-pressed full juice and real fruit ingredients, eschewing concentrates or artificial flavorings. Its product portfolio spans four lines: a core hard cider lineup of roughly ten year-round flavors (Cherry Mango, Harvest Peach, Blueberry Lime, Apricot Haze, Off-Dry, Pear, Chile Guava, Real Dry, Hibiscus, Ridgeline), the Stem Zero non-alcoholic sub-brand, a Chill Hard ready-to-drink canned line (Hard Peach Tea, Hard Mango Lemonade), and intermittent special releases (Salted Cucumber, Pommeau, Pommeschlager). Production is small-batch craft; no proprietary technology platform is disclosed beyond the production process itself.

The business operates an integrated D2C and wholesale model. On-premise revenue comes from three wholly-owned locations: the Acreage flagship restaurant and event space in Lafayette (4,000+ sq ft of private event capacity), the Ghost Box Pizza wood-fired Detroit-style pizza concept co-located in Lafayette (OpenTable Diner's Choice winner), and The Outpost on Platte in Denver, which hosts the recurring Sunset Sessions music series. Packaged product is sold through the company's e-commerce site (powered by Vinoshipper), the stemciders.myshopify.com merchandise store, and gift cards via Toast. Distribution extends to retail in 30+ U.S. states through wholesale partners and a B2B channel on Faire (wildingbrands.faire.com). Marketing centers on Instagram, Facebook, event marketing (Telluride Bluegrass Festival sponsorship, Denver Botanic Gardens charitable partnership), email, and promotional giveaways.

Since January 2025 Stem Ciders has operated as part of Wilding Brands LLC, a parent company formed by the founders of Denver Beer Co., Stem Ciders, and Funkwerks to pool back-office, wholesale, and growth functions across independent Colorado craft producers amid broader craft beverage industry decline. Headcount is reported at 11-50 employees, and the company remains privately held.

Name

Stem Ciders

Legal name

Stem Ciders, LLC

Website

https://stemciders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stem Ciders is a Colorado craft cidery producing fresh-pressed hard and non-alcoholic ciders across multiple flavor lines, sold through three owned on-premise locations (Acreage, Ghost Box Pizza, The Outpost on Platte), D2C e-commerce, and wholesale distribution to 30+ U.S. states, and operating as part of Wilding Brands LLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cider Product Sales: Sale of packaged cider products including 4-packs, 6-packs, and 12-packs of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cider. Products sold through retail locations, online orders, and wholesale distribution.
2. On-Premise Consumption: Revenue from Acreage restaurant and taproom, Ghost Box Pizza, and The Outpost on Platte locations where customers purchase ciders and food for on-site consumption.
3. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards valid at all Stem Ciders retail locations including taproom, Acreage, and Ghost Box Pizza.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Stem Ciders branded merchandise through their Shopify storefront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stem Ciders produces and sells craft hard ciders made from fresh-pressed full juice of whole, ripe apples combined with real fruit ingredients and no artificial flavors. Its portfolio spans core year-round flavors, seasonal and special releases, ready-to-drink canned options (Chill Hard), and a non-alcoholic line (Stem Zero), sold in 4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs, and on-tap. The company complements packaged cider sales with on-premise consumption at owned venues (Acreage restaurant, Ghost Box Pizza, The Outpost on Platte) and event experiences such as the Sunset Sessions music series.

Product overview

Stem Ciders is a craft cider company operating as part of Wilding Brands LLC, offering a portfolio of hard ciders and non-alcoholic alternatives alongside dining and event experiences. The core product lineup consists of multiple cider flavors available year-round (Cherry Mango, Harvest Peach, Blueberry Lime, Apricot Haze, Off Dry, Pear, Chile Guava, Real Dry, Hibiscus, Ridgeline), supplemented by seasonal and limited releases. The company has expanded into non-alcoholic ciders under the Stem Zero sub-brand, and ready-to-drink canned options via the Chill Hard line. Physical locations include Acreage restaurant and event space in Lafayette and Ghost Box Pizza, with the Sunset Sessions music series at The Outpost on Platte in Denver. Products are distributed in 4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs, and on-tap at company locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stem Zero: Non-alcoholic cider line featuring flavors like Apricot Haze, Blueberry Lime, and Pear

Products and services

• Core Ciders Year-round lineup of hard apple ciders in multiple flavor variants including Cherry Mango, Harvest Peach, Blueberry Lime, Apricot Haze, Off Dry, Pear, Chile Guava, Real Dry, Hibiscus, and Ridgeline. Sold in 4-packs to adult craft beverage consumers.
• Stem Zero Non-Alcoholic Ciders Non-alcoholic (0% ABV) craft cider line including Apricot Haze, Blueberry Lime, and Pear varieties, offered in 4-packs and variety 6-packs for adult consumers seeking zero-proof alternatives.
• Chill Hard Ciders Refrigerated ready-to-drink canned ciders including Hard Peach Tea and Hard Mango Lemonade, sold in 6-packs to adult consumers.
• Special Release Ciders Limited and experimental cider flavors including Salted Cucumber, Pommeau, and Pommeschlager, released intermittently as special editions to adult craft beverage enthusiasts.
• Variety Packs Pre-packaged multi-flavor cider assortments including Variety 6-Pack, Variety 6-Pack Tropical, and Variety 12-Pack featuring rotating selections of core cider flavors.
• Acreage by Stem Ciders Flagship restaurant and cider house in Lafayette, CO featuring farm-fresh dishes, a full Stem Ciders taplist, and over 4,000 square feet of private event space including the Mountain View Room (capacity 50 seated) and Barrel Room (capacity 40 seated).
• Ghost Box Pizza Wood-fired Detroit-style pizza restaurant co-located with Stem Ciders in Lafayette, CO. Voted OpenTable Diners' Choice Best Pizza. Open Monday-Thursday 4 PM - 9 PM.
• The Outpost on Platte (Sunset Sessions) Stem Ciders event venue at 1635 Platte St., Denver, hosting the weekly Friday Sunset Sessions music series (4:00-7:00 PM) with live DJs, rotating vendors, and an elevated cider and beverage program.
• Star-Spangled Slush (Limited Release Cocktail) Limited-time frozen cider cocktail served at Acreage during Star-Spangled Slush Week, featuring layered red, white, and blue frozen cider made with Stem Off-Dry Cider, Stem Blueberry Lime Cider, and a red sugar rim.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wilding BrandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStem Ciders is a proud member of Wilding Brands, a parent company formed in January 2025 by the founders of Denver Beer Co., Stem Ciders, and Funkwerks to support independent craft breweries amidst declining industry trends. Wilding Brands has acquired several major Colorado breweries and expanded its product portfolio.
• Ghost Box PizzacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhost Box Pizza is a wood fired Detroit-style pizza restaurant co-located with Stem Ciders in Lafayette, CO. Just voted OpenTable Diners' Choice Best Pizza. Provides food service for Stem Ciders taproom experience.
• Denver Botanic GardensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStem Ciders partners with Denver Botanic Gardens for charitable giving. Throughout June 2026, guests can round up their tab at participating locations to support the Gardens' mission. Acreage donates $1 from every specialty flight sold during the partnership period.
• Planet BluegrassminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStem Ciders is the proud cider sponsor of Planet Bluegrass and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Company runs promotional giveaways for festival tickets and merchandise.
• I'm good at this.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with I'm good at this. for the Sunset Sessions music series at The Outpost on Platte. They lead on-site pop-up with music programming, vendors, and partnerships.
• AcreagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcreage is Stem Ciders' flagship restaurant and cider house experience located in Lafayette, CO. Features farm fresh dishes, over 4,000 square feet of private event space, and panoramic mountain views. Open Mon-Thu 11AM-9PM, Fri-Sat 11AM-10PM, Sun 11AM-9PM.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Woodchuck Hard Cider: Established craft-style hard cider brand with national retail distribution. Comparable in core product category (hard cider) and multi-state retail footprint, though more legacy/incumbent in positioning.
• Angry Orchard: Largest U.S. hard cider brand, owned by Boston Beer Company. Directly comparable as a national cider producer competing for the same retail and on-premise cider occasion, though at significantly greater scale.
• 2 Towns Ciderhouse: Oregon-based craft cidery with broad flavor portfolio, multi-state distribution, and on-premise taproom. Closely comparable to Stem Ciders in craft positioning, innovation cadence, and DTC/wholesale hybrid model.
• Schilling Cider: Pacific Northwest craft cidery operating a cider house plus regional distribution. Comparable as a craft cider producer with strong taproom experience and ambitious flavor development similar to Stem's Acreage and Chill Hard lines.
• Ciderboys: Wisconsin-based craft hard cider brand with broad flavor portfolio and national distribution. Comparable as a craft multi-flavor cider producer pursuing similar retail occasions.
• Colorado Cider Company: Denver-based craft cidery producing draft and packaged ciders with a tasting room. Directly comparable as a Colorado-headquartered craft cidery competing in the same regional market and on-premise occasion.

Broad incumbents

• Funkwerks: Fort Collins-based craft brewery and fellow Wilding Brands portfolio company. Comparable as a Wilding Brands sister brand sharing consolidated craft beverage platform with Stem Ciders.
• Denver Beer Co. Fellow Wilding Brands portfolio company and craft brewery based in Denver. Comparable as a sibling Colorado craft beverage brand now sharing back-office, distribution, and ownership infrastructure with Stem Ciders.

Regional players

• Sonoma Cider: California-based craft cidery focused on craft cider production and taproom presence. Comparable in craft positioning and product innovation approach, though concentrated in West Coast retail rather than Stem's Midwest/Mountain footprint.
• Portland Cider Co. Oregon-based craft cidery with taprooms and packaged distribution in the Pacific Northwest. Comparable in craft positioning, taproom experience model, and flavor innovation, though operating in a different regional market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stemciders
• Instagraminstagram.com/stemciders
• Xx.com/stemciders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stem Ciders