S. Martinelli & Company

What S. Martinelli & Company does

S. Martinelli & Company is a family-owned premium apple juice and sparkling cider manufacturer founded in 1868 and headquartered in Watsonville, California. The company produces 100% U.S.-grown fresh apple juice, sparkling ciders (including Apple-Cranberry and Apple-Mango blends), organic juice variants, and single-serve sparkling cans, plus a revived 1868 Hard Cider sub-brand introduced for the 150th anniversary. All products are positioned around non-alcoholic celebration occasions, family gatherings, and mindful drinking. There is no proprietary technology platform; the business is a physical CPG operation centered on its West Beach production facility.

Revenue is generated through one-time product sales distributed via traditional grocery, mass merchandisers (notably Costco), specialty food retailers, the company-owned Company Store & Tasting Room in Watsonville, e-commerce through Instacart, and international distributor relationships spanning North and South America, the Caribbean, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania. Marketing is executed through a multi-channel mix including organic social (Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube), content/blog, email, influencer partnerships, PR, and retail media partnerships (Albertsons Media Collective). The company sells primarily to end consumers in the Celebration & Gathering Occasions and Health-Conscious Consumer segments, with retail-grocery channel buyers as the B2B counterpart.

The company is in its fourth generation of family ownership (John Martinelli as CEO, Gun Ruder as President and CFO), with 251-500 employees. It holds the Gold Medal trademark and has accumulated more than 50 gold medals for product excellence since 1890, supported by a 158-year operating history and an iconic glass-bottle brand presentation.

Name

S. Martinelli & Company

Legal name

S. Martinelli & Company

Website

https://martinellis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

S. Martinelli & Company is a family-owned premium apple juice and sparkling cider manufacturer founded in 1868, producing 100% U.S.-grown apple juice, sparkling ciders, and organic variants for U.S. consumers and international markets through grocery, mass retail, and direct-to-consumer channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Apple Juice & Sparkling Cider Beverages

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Cider & Perry Producers & Brands (CRADAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks) (CRADAHAB), Cider & Perry Production (AFAFAAAD), Cideries & Meadery Tasting Rooms (THAFALAI)

Keywords

• Premium apple juice
• Sparkling cider beverages
• Non-alcoholic celebration drinks
• Organic fruit juice
• Bottled juice manufacturer

Headquarters

HQ city

Watsonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: S. Martinelli & Company generates revenue through the sale of premium apple juices, sparkling ciders, and related beverage products. The company sells directly to consumers through their company store and online, and distributes through retail channels nationwide and internationally. Products include 100% apple juice, sparkling ciders in various flavors, organic options, and new sparkling cans.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

S. Martinelli & Company manufactures and sells premium 100% U.S.-grown apple juice and non-alcoholic sparkling cider beverages, packaged primarily in its iconic glass bottles and more recently in 8.4 fl. oz. cans. The portfolio includes still apple juice, organic apple juice, sparkling ciders in multiple flavors (Apple, Apple-Cranberry, Apple-Mango), Sparkling Blush, and the heritage 1868 Hard Cider, positioned for celebrations, family gatherings, and mindful drinking occasions.

Product overview

S. Martinelli & Company is a family-owned premium apple juice and sparkling cider manufacturer founded in 1868. The company produces 100% juice products from U.S. grown fresh apples with no chemical preservatives or sweeteners. Its product portfolio centers on two core categories: still 100% Apple Juice and Sparkling Cider (including their signature Sparkling Apple-Cranberry and Sparkling Apple-Mango blends). The company has recently expanded into portable formats including 8.4 fl. oz. canned sparkling juices in three flavors (Sparkling Apple Juice, Sparkling Apple Cranberry, and Sparkling Apple Mango). Additional offerings include Organic Apple Juice, Sparkling Blush (raspberry-infused), and the limited-release 1868 Hard Cider commemorating the brand's historic roots. All products are positioned for celebrations, family gatherings, and mindful drinking occasions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sparkling Apple Juice (Cans) 8.4 fl. oz. canned sparkling apple juice made from 100% juice pressed from fresh U.S.-grown apples with no added sugar, designed for portable on-the-go consumption by individual consumers.
• Sparkling Apple Cranberry Juice (Cans) 8.4 fl. oz. canned non-alcoholic sparkling juice combining U.S.-grown fresh apple juice with tangy cranberry juice for a sweet-tart balance, sold to individual consumers seeking a portable sparkling beverage.
• Sparkling Apple Mango Juice (Cans) 8.4 fl. oz. canned non-alcoholic sparkling juice blending apple juice with tropical mango for a fruity twist, marketed to consumers as a portable, on-the-go sparkling beverage.
• Sparkling Cider Premium non-alcoholic sparkling cider made from 100% U.S.-grown fresh apples, packaged in the iconic Martinelli's glass bottle and sold as the company's flagship celebratory beverage for individual consumers, families, and retailers.
• 100% Apple Juice Premium still apple juice made from 100% U.S.-grown fresh apples with no chemical preservatives or sweeteners, sold to individual consumers and through retail grocery channels.
• Organic Apple Juice Certified organic apple juice made from organically grown apples, available in multiple sizes including a 1 Liter format, marketed to health-conscious consumers seeking clean-label juice options.
• Sparkling Blush Sparkling juice with a splash of raspberry giving it a crisp taste and pink color, marketed to consumers for spring and summer celebrations as a seasonal non-alcoholic sparkling beverage.
• 1868 Hard Cider The company's original hard cider recipe revived in 2018 to commemorate its 150th anniversary, representing the brand's historic flagship alcoholic product line sold to adult consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• $7.45 incremental return on ad spend (iROAS)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Albertsons Media CollectivecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 April 2026Martinelli's partnered with Albertsons Media Collective to test their new onsite incrementality measurement tool. The campaign combined high-intent placements across the shopper journey and delivered a $7.45 incremental return on ad spend, drove 65% new-to-brand buyers, and generated a 33% sales increase.
• West Coast Community BancorpminorOthers · 12 February 2026Gun Ruder, CEO of S. Martinelli & Company, was elected to the Board of Directors of West Coast Community Bancorp, indicating a personal board-level connection between the companies.
• McConnell's Fine Ice CreamsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2022S. Martinelli & Co. partnered with McConnell's Fine Ice Creams to create a limited edition Martinelli's Apple Cider & Cranberry Jam ice cream. The partnership celebrates over 200 years of combined California heritage and has been repeated for multiple holiday seasons.
• Future Farmers of America (FFA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Martinelli's teamed up with FFA at Los Banos High School to install over a dozen owl boxes at their San Juan Bautista, California orchard. This sustainable farming initiative uses natural predators for rodent control, reducing the need for pesticides.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mott's: Owned by Keurig Dr Pepper, Mott's is a leading U.S. apple juice and apple sauce brand with national grocery distribution. Direct competitor to Martinelli's in shelf-stable apple juice and apple-flavored beverages.
• Tree Top: U.S. apple juice cooperative and brand with deep Pacific Northwest grower ties and national retail distribution. Directly comparable to Martinelli's as a heritage U.S. apple juice producer serving grocery and foodservice channels.
• Welch's: Iconic American juice brand owned by a grower cooperative, with national distribution across grape and fruit juice categories. Comparable to Martinelli's as a heritage family/cooperative-positioned juice brand with broad grocery presence.
• Sparkling ICE: TalkingRain Beverage Co.'s flagship flavored sparkling water brand. Comparable to Martinelli's Sparkling Cider in the non-alcoholic sparkling beverage occasion and grocery distribution model.
• RW Knudsen: Family-owned premium organic juice brand (owned by JM Smucker) with natural foods and grocery distribution. Comparable to Martinelli's Organic Apple Juice in the premium, clean-label juice segment.

Broad incumbents

• Angry Orchard: Boston Beer's national hard cider brand and the largest U.S. craft cider producer. Comparable to Martinelli's 1868 Hard Cider sub-brand in the alcoholic cider category, with broader portfolio scale.
• Tropicana: PepsiCo-owned premium juice brand with national distribution. Comparable to Martinelli's in shelf-stable premium juice positioning, though with broader fruit portfolio and significantly larger scale.
• Ocean Spray: Grower-owned cooperative producing cranberry and blended juices with national distribution. Comparable to Martinelli's as a heritage American beverage cooperative/brand with multi-generational identity and retail media sophistication.

Emerging players

• Woodchuck Hard Cider: Vermont-based craft hard cider producer owned by Florida Beer Company. Comparable to 1868 Hard Cider in craft alcoholic cider positioning, with similar heritage brand storytelling.
• Martinelli's 1868 Hard Cider: Martinelli's own alcoholic hard cider sub-brand launched in 2018 to commemorate its 150th anniversary. Represents an internal category extension into the alcoholic cider space adjacent to Martinelli's non-alcoholic cider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MartinellisCo
• Facebookfacebook.com/martinellisco
• Instagraminstagram.com/martinellisco
• Pinterestpinterest.com/martinellisco
• Xx.com/martinellisco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 S. Martinelli & Company