United States Association of Cider Makers Rebrands as American Cider Association

The hard cider segment has seen some challenges as of late and its industry trade group has updated its name. What was formerly known as the United States Association of Cider Makers, this trade group has rebranded as American Cider Association. This new, updated name is a bit easier to remember and will roll off the tongue a bit better.

To kick off the New Year, the American Cider Association will bring fort a message that indicates that its ready to go head on against other low-calorie alcoholic beverages. This mainly looks to attack the hard seltzer industry that has made massive inroads this past year. The hard seltzer industry has taken over shelf space in major retailers that is mainly taken from hard cider.

This month the American Cider Association will highlight the beverages that offer 0g residual sugar ciders in its outward social media messaging. The trade group is calling it Dry Cider January and we will be promoting the hashtag #pickdrycider with a goal to gain the attention of health-oriented consumers.

Here’s the official press release from the rebranded American Cider Association…

After 8 years using the title of United States Association of Cider Makers, or USACM for short, the cider industry trade group has updated its brand. On December 31, 2019, the group unveiled its shorter, more direct name—The American Cider Association. It also released its new logo, created by graphic designer Randi Karabin of SIP Publishing.

The American Cider Association says the new look and name go hand in hand with new aggressive strategies to grow the cider industry, including achieving legislative and regulatory goals on behalf of the association’s members.

“We’re doing so much more in DC than we were 4 years ago. We’re speaking up for common sense labeling regulations, lobbying for legislation to lower excise taxes, campaigning for the permitted use of harvest dates on cider labels over 7% ABV, pushing for 355ml as an approved volume of fill, supporting transparency on labels regarding state of origin for apples, and more,” executive director, Michelle McGrath detailed.

“Cider is a grassroots industry, but it generates over a billion dollars in annual sales. We’re ready for the next evolution of our trade association,” she continued. “Cidermakers will always be our #1 audience, but Congress is rising in importance. Lobbying with our old name was challenging. People often found it confusing, and you lost them about halfway through. It was long! American Cider Association is much more straightforward.”

Last August, the Cider Association’s board members gathered in DC to support the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act. That experience illuminated the need to rebrand. With unanimous support from the board, McGrath engaged diverse stakeholders to instruct the look and name. “There are quite a few names and logos on the cutting room floor,” McGrath said. “We embraced the best options for a professional trade association.”

Another goal for the Cider Association is to support more campaigns directed toward consumers and trade. “We will continue utilizing our Pick Cider® brand for those efforts,” she said.

“Our goals are designed to support the full diversity of producers in the industry,” said board member Eleanor Leger. “From the larger cideries that are raising cider’s visibility in the broader marketplace to the hundreds of small farm-based cideries showcasing unique apple varieties and cidermaking approaches.”

The American Cider Association’s assets will update to the new name and logo throughout the week, and a brand sheet is available on their website: www.ciderassociation.org.