Note: see our follow-up story for more details.
Note: see our other follow-up story for details from Seattle Cider.
Original post: Breaking news today that 2 Town Cider is acquiring Seattle Cider Company. This development merges two of the Pacific Northwest’s best-recognized cider brands under one umbrella.
In a press release today, the CEO of 2 Town Cider, Lee Larsen, said, “We’ve long respected what Seattle Cider has brought to the category. They’ve helped shape the modern cider landscape through creativity, quality, and a real passion for the craft. We’re excited to welcome the Seattle Cider brand into the 2 Towns family and build on that momentum together.”
A source close to the situation, who did not want to be named, tells me that production of Seattle Cider products will be moved to 2 Towns’ facility in Corvallis. Presumably, this means employees in Seattle will be impacted. 2 Towns Cide has not confirmed this.
2 Towns Cider is based in Corvallis, Oregon. Seattle Cider, as the name suggests, is located in Seattle, Washington. Some might remember that Seattle Cider spun off from the now-closed Two Beers Brewing Company, which ceased operations in 2023. The two companies operated side by side for years, with the cider business skyrocketing while the beer business waned.
Joel VandenBrink founded Two Beers Brewing in 2007 and, in 2013, Seattle Cider, dubbing the latter the first craft cider maker in the city to open since Prohibition. In 2016, Agrial Group, a leading French agricultural and food-processing cooperative group, acquired both Two Beers Brewing and Seattle Cider.
Today, Seattle Cider distributes its products to Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. It also sells direct to consumers in 36 states.
2 Towns Cider says that it plans to continue to support and grow the Seattle Cider brand. Both companies reported sales volume increases last year as the cider category continues buck the larger trend impacting the alcohol beverage industry. Beyond the acquisition, 2 Towns is making a major investment in its Corvallis production facility. Reportedly, that expansion will add 20,000 sq. ft. of production space.
This story is still developing. We will update this story as details unfold.
