urban orchard cider

What urban orchard cider does

Urban Orchard Cider Company is a family-owned craft hard cider producer and taproom operator headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, founded on October 30, 2013 by Josie and Shiloh Mielke alongside extended family members. The company produces small-batch hard cider from 100% Hendersonville, NC-sourced apples (primarily juice from Apple Wedge) using a self-racking, unfiltered method with a mandatory 8-12 month maturation period and varied yeast strain selection, yielding a portfolio of nearly 100 cider styles anchored by four flagships (Sweet English, Dry Ridge, Ginger Campaign, Sidra Del Diablo) plus seasonal and experimental releases.

The business operates through a multi-channel model: two company-owned taprooms (the original West Asheville location at 210 Haywood Road and the 2018 South Slope flagship at 24 Buxton Avenue, which serves as headquarters, production hub, and 4,000 sq ft event venue with capacity for 210), wholesale distribution to 60+ bars, restaurants, and breweries across Western North Carolina with active expansion along the I-40 corridor toward Raleigh-Durham, retail placement at Whole Foods and Total Wine, and direct-to-consumer channels including nationwide shipping via shopciders.com and vinoshipper.com, monthly cider subscriptions, and Toasttab-powered eGift cards.

Urban Orchard serves craft beverage enthusiasts, gluten-free consumers (a segment personally motivated by co-founder Josie Mielke's gluten intolerance), and Asheville's 10+ million annual tourists, with annual production of roughly 30,000 gallons against a theoretical capacity above 100,000 gallons. The company has accumulated sustained industry recognition including Food & Wine's #1 Best Place to Drink Cider in America (2017), multiple USA Today 10Best nods (2018, 2023, 2024), and Best of WNC awards from 2015 through 2024, and remains privately held with no disclosed institutional investment.

Name

urban orchard cider

Legal name

Urban Orchard Cider Co.

Website

https://urbanorchardcider.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Urban Orchard Cider is a family-owned Asheville, NC craft hard cider producer operating two taprooms, distributing to 60+ wholesale accounts across the Carolinas, and shipping nationwide online. It serves craft beverage enthusiasts and gluten-free consumers with ciders made exclusively from Hendersonville, NC apples using an 8-12 month self-racking aging process.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Cider

NAICS

Wineries (312130)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Cider & Perry Production (AFAFAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cider & Perry Producers & Brands (CRADAIAE), Cideries & Meadery Tasting Rooms (THAFALAI)

Keywords

• Craft hard cider
• Cider taproom
• Wholesale cider distribution
• Local apple cider
• Craft beverage production

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Taproom Sales: On-site cider sales at two tasting room locations in Asheville. Serves flights, individual pours, and food items. Capacity of 210 at South Slope location.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Distribution of canned and bottled ciders to 60+ accounts including bars, restaurants, breweries, and retailers across North Carolina and expanding markets.
3. Retail (To-Go): Canned ciders (4-packs of 16oz or 12oz cans), 32oz growlers, Twistee Crowlers to-go from taprooms. Keg sales (1/2 barrels and 1/6 barrels) for private customers.
4. Online Sales & Subscriptions: Nationwide shipping via online store and third-party platforms. Monthly cider subscription boxes available.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Urban Orchard Cider produces premium craft hard cider from 100% locally sourced Hendersonville, NC apples, using an extended 8-12 month self-racking (unfiltered) aging process. The company operates two Asheville taprooms (West Asheville and South Slope) that serve flights and pours of house-made cider, alongside a snack menu, and distributes canned and bottled product to 60+ wholesale accounts and via direct online shipping nationwide.

Product overview

Urban Orchard Cider Company is a craft cider producer and taproom operator offering hard ciders aged minimum 8 months, made from locally-sourced Hendersonville, NC apples. The product portfolio centers on four flagship ciders (Sweet English, Dry Ridge, Ginger Campaign, Sidra Del Diablo) complemented by seasonal and experimental varieties. Additional offerings include food (charcuterie boards, snacks), event space rental at their South Slope location, and canned/bottled products for retail distribution. The company operates two taproom locations in Asheville: West Asheville (Haywood Road) and South Slope (Downtown/Buxton Avenue).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sweet English Flagship semi-sweet traditional cider made from Hendersonville, NC apples and aged a minimum of 8 months as part of Urban Orchard's standing core lineup.
• Dry Ridge Flagship semi-dry cider with green apple and tropical fruit notes, released as part of Urban Orchard's core cider portfolio aged via the self-racking method.
• Ginger Campaign Flagship semi-dry effervescent cider infused with ginger, part of the standing core cider lineup.
• Sidra Del Diablo Flagship semi-sweet cider made with fresh habanero, vanilla, and creeper spice, sold as part of the standing core lineup.
• Kalikimaka Seasonal semi-sweet cranberry-infused cider with a bold tart taste and red hue, offered as a limited release.
• Blue Moon Rizin' Seasonal semi-sweet blueberry cider fermented three months on Oktoberfest lager yeast with organic Cedar Grove blueberries and cardamom.
• Event Space Rental 4,000 square foot event space at the South Slope taproom accommodating 20-200 guests with seating for up to 100, featuring 20 taps of house-made ciders and local beers; available for rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, and corporate events.
• Monthly Cider Subscription Recurring monthly cider subscription box shipped nationwide via the Urban Orchard online store (shopciders.com and vinoshipper.com), delivering rotating craft ciders to members.

Quantifiable outcome

• #1 Best Place to Drink Cider in America (2017) - Food & Wine Magazine
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Cider Association (ACA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Josie Mielke elected as Director At-Large to ACA Board of Directors (2024). Association advocates for cider industry, hosts CiderCon trade conference, and works to establish cider as its own regulatory category separate from beer and wine.
• Asheville Brewers AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Urban Orchard is a member of the Asheville Brewers Alliance. Alliance partners with OurVoice for Sexual Assault Awareness month, donating $1 per pint sold during April.
• NC Cider AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in NC Cider Trail initiative, uniting 16 NC cideries to promote cider tourism. Urban Orchard operations director Josie Mielke contributed to trail development.
• Mountain Mural ToursminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUrban Orchard is host of beverage pit-stop on Mountain Mural Tours. Partnership supports local artists and provides historical perspective on Asheville art scene.
• Brother Wolf Animal RescueminorOthersMonthly fundraiser host. Partnered for dog costume contest fundraiser where 10% of cider sales donated to animal rescue.
• French Broad Chocolate LoungeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration created cider-infused treats: orange-flavored soft caramel with cranberry cider dipped in dark chocolate, and hard caramel squares with Dry Ridge cider dipped in milk chocolate.
• The Hop Ice Cream CaféminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative creation of cider-spiked frozen treats including ice pops, sorbets, and ice creams. Products sold at Urban Orchard's West Asheville cidery.
• Apple WedgecoreOthersPrimary juice supplier for apples. Sourced from Hendersonville, NC. All ciders made from carefully blended variety of sweet/dessert-style and bitter/sharp apples.
• Smokin' J's Fiery FoodsminorOthersChili pepper supplier for Fire Flight series (jalapeño through scorpion pepper infused ciders). Based in Candler, NC.
• Cedar Grove Blueberry FarmminorOthersSupplier of organic blueberries for Blue Moon Rizin' cider (fermented on Oktoberfest lager yeast with Cedar Grove blueberries).
• Asheville Bee CharmerminorOthersHoney supplier used in Tangerine Turnpike cider flavor.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bold Rock Hard Cider: A leading craft hard cider producer with multiple taprooms in the Southeast (including a flagship in Asheville-adjacent Mills River, NC). Directly comparable as a regional craft cidery using local apples and operating a taproom-plus-distribution model.
• Austin Eastciders: Texas-based craft cidery with taproom locations and wholesale distribution across the South. Comparable as a craft cider producer pursuing taproom-led brand building and multi-state expansion into grocery and on-premise accounts.
• Citizen Cider: Vermont craft cidery with a large urban taproom (Burlington) and distribution across the Eastern US. Comparable as a craft cidery combining taproom experience with multi-state wholesale and cider-style experimentation.
• Stem Cider: Colorado craft cidery with a dedicated taproom and a focus on dry, wine-like cider styles. Comparable as a premium craft cidery emphasizing a taproom experience and unconventional flavor profiles.
• Schilling Cider: Pacific Northwest craft cidery with taproom locations in Portland and Seattle. Comparable as a craft cider producer operating multiple taprooms with diverse cider styles and regional wholesale distribution.
• Two Rooms Cider: Craft hard cidery with taproom and wholesale presence. Comparable as a craft cider producer emphasizing curated taproom experiences and varied cider styles.
• Original Sin Cider: New York-based craft hard cider producer with national distribution. Comparable as a premium-positioned craft cider brand using traditional fermentation methods and competing in the same on-premise and retail channels.

Broad incumbents

• Angry Orchard: The largest US hard cider brand owned by Boston Beer Company, operating a national taproom and innovation cidery in Walden, NY. Comparable as a scaled cider producer with taproom experiences, though it competes primarily in the mass-market tier rather than Urban Orchard's craft niche.

Regional players

• Noble Cider: Asheville-based craft cidery using Hendersonville, NC apples. Comparable as a regional craft cider peer sourcing from the same Henderson County apple supply and competing in the Western NC on-premise and retail channel.
• Red Clay Ciderworks: Charlotte, NC craft cidery operating a taproom and distributing across North Carolina. Comparable as a regional craft cider peer and distribution-network neighbor (already cross-stocked with Urban Orchard).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UrbanOrchardCiderCo
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanorchardciderco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-orchard-cider-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 urban orchard cider