Locust Cider
Family-owned craft hard cider producer founded in 2015 by Jason Spears in Washington State, selling small-batch ciders through retail in 10 states, nationwide e-commerce, a taproom/arcade, and a subscription membership program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersWoodinville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Locust Cider does
Locust Cider is a family-owned, small-batch hard cider producer founded in 2015 by Jason Spears in Washington State. The company's product portfolio centers on hard cider made with simple, real ingredients and includes a core range, rotating small-batch and seasonal releases, and a pommeau line. Brand activity extends beyond liquid to a directly operated on-premise experience — the Harborcade taproom and arcade in Gig Harbor, WA — and to a long-running charitable partnership with the Hydrocephalus Association, to which the company contributes $0.25 per case and has given more than $10,000 annually since 2016.
The business operates through a multi-channel model that combines wholesale retail distribution across 10 U.S. states, direct-to-consumer e-commerce shipping reaching nearly every state, a single on-site taproom/arcade venue, and the Swarm Club subscription membership ($20/month or $139/year) supported by a companion mobile app. Distribution and customer acquisition rely on traditional craft beverage levers — regional retail partnerships, festival and event presence, and a cause-driven brand narrative — rather than technology-led differentiation. The company is privately held and self-funded, with no external capital raised, and 2025 marks its 10-year operating anniversary.
Locust Cider firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Locust Cider
- Legal name
- Locust Cider
- Website
- https://locustcider.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Family-owned craft hard cider producer founded in 2015 by Jason Spears in Washington State, selling small-batch ciders through retail in 10 states, nationwide e-commerce, a taproom/arcade, and a subscription membership program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Locust Cider industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Hard Cider
- NAICS
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing (312), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cider & Perry Producers & Brands (CRADAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cider & Perry Production (AFAFAAAD), Cideries & Meadery Tasting Rooms (THAFALAI)
Keywords
Where Locust Cider is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Woodinville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Locust Cider business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Cider Sales: Direct-to-consumer and retail sales of hard cider products through taproom, retail stores, and e-commerce shipping
- Swarm Club Memberships: Monthly and annual membership programs offering discounts on cider, merchandise, and exclusive releases
- Merchandise Sales: Online sales of branded merchandise including apparel, drinkware, hats, stickers, and accessories
- Donations: $0.25 of every case of cans or bottles sold is donated to the Hydrocephalus Association
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Swarm Club membership at $20/month |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Swarm Club membership at $139/year |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise pricing range |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Locust Cider product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Locust Cider produces and sells small batch hard ciders crafted from real, simple ingredients into bold, non-traditional flavor profiles. The company sells its ciders through year-round core SKUs in 6-pack cans and draft, seasonal and limited small batch releases, and premium 375ml pommeau bottles, distributed via a Gig Harbor taproom with attached arcade, retail and grocery wholesale across 10 states, and online shipping nationwide.
Product overview
Locust Cider is a family-owned hard cider company founded in 2015 in Washington state, specializing in small-batch hard ciders made with real, simple ingredients. The product portfolio consists of core ciders available year-round (Pub Dry, Blackberry, Honey Pear, Juicy Peach, Vanilla Bean), seasonal and limited release small batch varieties (including Lingering Heat, Transfusion, P.O.G., Cucumber, Cold Brew Coffee, Cold Pressed Apple, Paloma, Dark Maple, and various Rad'lah flavors), and premium pommeau offerings (Apple Pommeau and Pear Pommeau in 375ml bottles). The company also operates the Gig Harbor Taproom & Harborcade arcade, offers a Swarm Club membership program, and sells branded merchandise through its online store. The company is committed to donating to the Hydrocephalus Association, with $0.25 from every case sold going to support their cause.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pub Dry Hard Cider A crisp, pure apple hard cider with bright apple character, light sweetness, and a subtle tartness, sold year-round in 6-pack cans and draft as one of the brand's core flagship ciders for adult cider consumers.
- Blackberry Hard Cider Core year-round hard cider featuring bold blackberry flavor, sold in 6-pack cans and draft for adult cider drinkers seeking fruit-forward flavor profiles.
- Honey Pear Hard Cider Core year-round hard cider with honey and pear notes, sold in 6-pack cans and draft and recognized with multiple GLINTCAP Silver awards and Best of the Northwest honors.
- Juicy Peach Hard Cider Core year-round hard cider featuring peach flavor, sold in 6-pack cans and draft and recognized with a Double Gold Best of the Northwest from Sip Magazine (2022).
- Vanilla Bean Hard Cider Core year-round hard cider with vanilla bean flavor, sold in 6-pack cans and draft and recognized with multiple GLINTCAP Silver awards and a Judges' Pick Best of the Northwest from Sip Magazine (2018).
- Lingering Heat Hard Cider Spicy small batch hard cider, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft as part of the rotating small batch and seasonal lineup for adult cider consumers.
- Transfusion Hard Cider Small batch hard cider variety, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft as part of the company's rotating small batch offering for adventurous adult cider drinkers.
- P.O.G. Hard Cider Small batch hard cider featuring passion fruit, orange, and guava flavors, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft for consumers seeking tropical-inspired cider flavor profiles.
- Cucumber Hard Cider Refreshing small batch hard cider with cucumber, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft as part of the rotating small batch lineup targeting consumers seeking unconventional savory flavor profiles.
- Cold Brew Coffee Hard Cider Small batch hard cider infused with cold brew coffee flavor, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft as part of the rotating small batch lineup for adventurous adult cider consumers.
- Cold Pressed Apple Hard Cider Small batch hard cider made with cold pressed apples, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft for consumers seeking a traditional apple flavor elevated by the cold press method.
- Paloma Hard Cider Small batch hard cider inspired by the Paloma cocktail, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft for consumers seeking cocktail-inspired cider flavor profiles.
- Dark Maple Hard Cider Small batch hard cider with dark maple flavor, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft for consumers seeking warming, syrup-forward cider flavor profiles.
- Imperial Pineapple Coconut Hard Cider Imperial strength hard cider with pineapple and coconut flavors, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and draft for adult consumers seeking higher-ABV tropical cider options.
- Mile High Imperial High & Dry Hard Cider Imperial high and dry cider collaboration with Mile High, sold in 4-pack 16oz cans and draft for consumers seeking higher-ABV traditional-style ciders.
- Mile High Imperial Pineapple Peak Hard Cider Imperial pineapple cider collaboration with Mile High, sold in 4-pack 16oz cans and draft for adult consumers seeking higher-ABV tropical cider options.
- Mile High Imperial Pinnacle Peach Hard Cider Imperial peach cider collaboration with Mile High, sold in 4-pack 16oz cans and draft for adult consumers seeking higher-ABV fruit cider options.
- Blueberry Rad'lah Hard Cider Small batch hard cider with blueberry flavor, sold in 12oz cans for adult cider consumers seeking fruit-forward craft varieties.
- Mixed Berry Rad'lah Hard Cider Small batch hard cider with mixed berry flavor, sold in 12oz cans for adult cider consumers seeking berry-forward craft varieties.
- Watermelon Hard Cider Small batch hard cider with watermelon flavor, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans and recognized with Double Gold from Cidercraft (2023), Platinum Best of the Northwest from Sip Magazine (2023), and Bronze from GLINTCAP (2023).
- Strawberry Mojito Hard Cider Small batch hard cider inspired by strawberry mojito cocktail flavors, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans for consumers seeking cocktail-inspired summer cider profiles.
- Cinn-ful Cran Hard Cider Small batch hard cider with cinnamon and cranberry flavors, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans for consumers seeking warming seasonal cider options.
- Chai Hard Cider Small batch hard cider with chai spice flavors, sold in 6-pack 12oz cans as part of the rotating small batch lineup for adult consumers seeking spice-infused cider profiles.
- Apple Pommeau Apple pommeau style fortified cider, sold in 375ml bottles as part of the premium pommeau portfolio for adult consumers seeking higher-end fortified cider offerings.
- Pear Pommeau Pear pommeau style fortified cider, sold in 375ml bottles as part of the premium pommeau portfolio for adult consumers seeking higher-end pear-based fortified cider offerings.
- Gig Harbor Taproom & Harborcade Family-friendly taproom in Gig Harbor, Washington offering Locust hard cider and regional craft beer, plus the Harborcade arcade featuring classic and modern video games and pinball, serving adult consumers and families seeking on-premise beverage and entertainment experiences.
- Swarm Club Membership Loyalty club membership for adult Locust Cider consumers offering discounted pints, flights, growler and grunt fills, cans, merchandise, exclusive releases, and bundled Hydrocephalus Association donations, sold as $20/month or $139/year subscriptions via the Locust mobile app.
- Locust Cider Merchandise Branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, tank tops, hoodies from $28 to $45), drinkware (pint glasses $15, mugs $14, water bottles $29, koozies $6), hats ($27-$30), beanies ($27), and stickers ($4) sold direct-to-consumer through the Locust Cider online storefront for brand enthusiasts.
- Locust Mobile App Mobile app for Swarm Club membership management, special offers, exclusive deals, and early access to new flavors and products, providing Swarm Club members with a digital membership card and direct engagement channel with the brand.
Quantifiable outcome
- $0.25 per case donated to Hydrocephalus Association, totaling over $10,000 per year since 2016
Companies that use Locust Cider
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Locust Cider technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Locust Cider partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Hydrocephalus AssociationcoreLocust Cider donates $0.25 of every case of cans or bottles sold to the Hydrocephalus Association (over $10,000 per year since 2016). This is a personal cause for owners Jason and Rebecca Spears whose daughter Lucy was born with hydrocephalus.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Locust Cider competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Crispin Cider: National craft cider brand with wide flavor variety and broad retail footprint. Comparable flavored-cider portfolio and mid-tier positioning.
- Woodchuck Hard Cider: One of the original U.S. craft cider brands, now under Vermont Hard Cider Company, with broad flavored-cider lineup and national distribution. Incumbent comparison for retail scale and SKU breadth.
- Angry Orchard: Largest U.S. hard cider brand owned by Boston Beer Company, with national retail presence and diverse flavor portfolio. Represents the broad incumbent against which craft peers compete for shelf space.
Direct peers
- Ciderboys: Wisconsin craft cidery with bold-flavored, unconventional cider varieties and broad retail distribution. Comparable flavor-forward positioning and SKU strategy.
- Blake's Hard Cider: Michigan-based family-owned craft cidery with taproom, broad flavored portfolio, and multi-state regional distribution. Closely mirrors Locust's family-owned, multi-channel craft model.
- Stem Ciders: Colorado craft cidery with taproom locations and a flavor-forward, premium-ingredient positioning. Comparable in craft, multi-taproom, and innovation-led brand strategy.
- 2 Towns Ciderhouse: Oregon-based craft cidery producing bold-flavored hard ciders with extensive retail and taproom footprint across the Pacific Northwest. Highly comparable in mission, regional concentration, and flavor-forward positioning.
- Bold Rock Hard Cider: Virginia/North Carolina craft cidery with taprooms and flavored cider portfolio sold in grocery and on-premise across multiple states. Comparable in regional craft cidery scale and multi-taproom model.
- Schilling Cider: Pacific Northwest craft cidery with multiple taproom locations and broad flavored-cider portfolio. Comparable in scale, regional roots, and small-batch production approach.
- Seattle Cider Company: Washington-based craft cidery producing dry and flavored hard ciders for regional retail and on-premise. Direct geographic and product peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Locust Cider social profiles
Digital presenceLocust Cider financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Locust Cider leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Locust Cider funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Locust Cider M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Locust Cider
What does Locust Cider do?
Locust Cider produces and sells small batch hard ciders crafted from real, simple ingredients into bold, non-traditional flavor profiles. The company sells its ciders through year-round core SKUs in 6-pack cans and draft, seasonal and limited small batch releases, and premium 375ml pommeau bottles, distributed via a Gig Harbor taproom with attached arcade, retail and grocery wholesale across 10 states, and online shipping nationwide.
Is Locust Cider a public or private company?
Locust Cider is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Locust Cider founded?
Locust Cider was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Locust Cider based?
Locust Cider is headquartered in Woodinville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Locust Cider make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Cider Sales are the primary driver. The others are swarm Club Memberships, merchandise Sales and donations.
Who are Locust Cider's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Crispin Cider, Woodchuck Hard Cider and Angry Orchard. Direct peers are Ciderboys, Blake's Hard Cider, Stem Ciders, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Bold Rock Hard Cider, Schilling Cider and Seattle Cider Company.
Does Locust Cider have an API?
No public API is recorded for Locust Cider.
What industry is Locust Cider in?
Locust Cider's product category is Craft Hard Cider. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAE, Cider & Perry Producers & Brands, with a secondary code of AFAFAAAD, Cider & Perry Production. Its NAICS code is 312 and its SIC code is 2080.