The air is getting crisper, the trees are changing to vibrant reds and yellows, and pumpkins––and pumpkin spice––are everywhere. Fall is here, and that also means it’s apple cider season. Or at least it normally would be.
Now, it seems like every season is cider season, as hard cider has risen in popularity significantly over the last decade. Before hard seltzer and ready to drink cocktails started to become trendy, hard cider was hitting its stride. And although it still only takes up a fraction of the U.S. alcohol market compared to beer, its growth over the last decade or so has been significant in the alcohol sector.
In 2021, cider produced $553.6 million in revenue, a slight dip from $566 million in 2020 but an increase over $517.8 million in 2019, according to NielsenIQ. In North America, the market is expected to grow by 3.5% between 2022 and 2027, in large part due to U.S. consumers embracing hard cider.
