One Bellingham-based cider maker is taking over another
Bellingham Cider Company is purchasing Lost Giants Cider Company. It’s not a hostile or even unfriendly takeover: Lost Giants’ current owners, Brad Wilske and Abe Ebert, approached Bellingham Cider’s owners a few months ago looking for a buyer, and they found one.
Brad Wilske, former co-owner of Lost Giants, said, “We’re really proud of what we’ve built. It’s been an incredible ride, and we’re grateful for all the people who have supported us. At the same time, we feel like we’ve taken the company as far as we can, and the time feels right to hand it off to someone who can bring new energy and take it even further. Bellingham Cider Company feels like such a great fit. They’re local, they care about this community, and most importantly, we trust them to respect what we’ve built.”
Lost Giants and Bellingham Cider both opened their taprooms in 2018, part of a wave of local cider producers that sprouted up in the Bellingham area. A press release announcing the deal said that the two cideries share a reputation for quality, a local-first approach to business, and deep community ties — qualities both sides point to as the natural basis for the deal.
“Brad and Abe built something special here, and this deal is really about protecting that,” said Bryce Hamilton, co-owner of Bellingham Cider Company. “It gives us the scale to invest in both brands while keeping what makes each of them distinct, and it strengthens Bellingham’s place in the Northwest cider scene as a whole.”
The priority is preserving what makes Lost Giants Lost Giants — the tagline, “good cider made by nice people,” sums it up. The cider recipes, branding, and distributor relationships will stay the same; the taproom will remain open, and current employees will stay on staff. The two teams say they’re working closely behind the scenes to keep the transition smooth for staff and customers alike.
Moving forward, Bellingham Cider Company will move production to the Lost Giants facility. Merging production spaces allows the two brands to share equipment, streamline resources, and reduce overall costs. “Each brand will have its own dedicated Cider Maker and maintain their own unique identities,” said Josh Serface, who manages cider production for Bellingham Cider Company and is one of the company’s co-owners.
Bellingham Cider also plans to reenergize the Lost Giants taproom with more events, turning it into a bigger community hub for surrounding neighborhoods. Bellingham Cider’s Event Coordinator and Brand Ambassador Shanna Sheridan-McInnis will expand her role to include Lost Giants.
“It’s really exciting to have this opportunity to build on the momentum Lost Giants has created, stay true to the brand, while also bringing new ideas to a great space,” Sheridan-McInnis said.
“Our biggest hope is simply to see Lost Giants continue to grow and thrive. We hope Lost Giants continues to have the incredible support of the local and regional cider community. We’re excited about what’s ahead and feel really good knowing Lost Giants is staying in local hands,” Wilske added.
Ebert and Wilske will stay on through the transition to help guide the process — a reflection of the friendship that’s grown between the two teams throughout the deal.
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