Sales of craft ciders grow by 53 per cent in Ontario, says LCBO

Ontario's love of local craft cider is growing. And so is its ability to produce it.

This week, the LCBO revealed its sales in Ontario craft cider have increased by 54 percent since last year, saying Ontario is emerging as a strong player in the cider industry. 

It's a big jump, says Christine Bujold, LCBO media relations coordinator. "But the product is really good and customers really enjoy it, so it makes sense that it saw that kind of growth," she said.

"I think it's easy to get excited about something that's made so close to home. We grow some of the best apples in the world, here in Ontario," said Mike Kramar, who owns KW Craft Cider in Waterloo region. 

He said since opening in 2014, the business has seen a steady increase in sales – even through the cold winter months. 

But, Kramar said, despite the recent boom in popularity, the industry still has plenty of room to grow.  

'I'm still encountering people regularly that have never heard of cider or have only had some of the larger artificial brands, and haven't had the Ontario ciders made with Ontario apples," Kramar said.

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