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Local orchard in the Okanagan. (Photo Credit: BC Tree Fruits)
Here in the Okanagan we’re used to the excellent taste of local apples. Residents eat them straight, bake them into pies, make applesauce and generally get creative. Now, however, they’ll be able to experience crisp Okanagan apples in a cider.
BC Tree Fruits has launched a cider company, and their very first product, Broken Ladder, is set to hit stores on April 1st. This premium craft cider is made with 100 per cent B.C. apples from the Okanagan, with no extra sugar, additives, flavourings, or water. This cider’s also gluten-free and contains a mix of six apple varieties.
(Photo Credit: BC Tree Fruits)
“It’s almost as pure as you’re going to get in terms of a nice, crisp, dry, premium cider,” says Chris Pollock, marketing manager at BC Tree Fruits. “It goes down crisp and clean, and it has a great taste profile.”
BC Tree Fruits decided to go into the alcoholic beverage market to help their growers get more returns on the fruit. “Our growers take pride in growing high quality tree fruits,” said Pollock. “In some cases, there is some product that doesn’t make its way to the retail stores. The product could be too small, or the apples maybe didn’t colour up as much as some of the others.”
(Photo Credit: BC Tree Fruits)
While these fruits are still excellent quality with amazing taste, they aren't sent to retail and therefore go to lower paying channels, such as the process market for juice. With cider, however, BC Tree Fruits is hoping to diversify their portfolio and make more money for the growers.
Not only does the cider use BC Tree Fruits product, but it’s also made in Kelowna. “We pressed the apples in our own packing house, and we have tanks in our packing house where we fermented the product,” said Pollock. “We canned it in the packing house as well. This is a product that is made with 100 per cent B.C. apples, made in B.C. It’s going to be an excellent product when it hits the shelves.”
(Photo Credit: BC Tree Fruits)
The Broken Ladders cider will be available to the general public in specific BC Liquor Stores, as well as in the BC Tree Fruits market on Vaughan Avenue where they sell other fruits and vegetables. The market will also have tasting available for those who want to try it out. Currently, the organization is working to get the product in private beer and wine stores, and though the cider is only sold within B.C. right now, they have plans to move into Alberta and further.
So if you’re getting a bit thirsty and want to support Okanagan orchards, make sure to give the Broken Ladders cider a taste.
(Photo Credit: BC Tree Fruits)
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