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apple blend for a “fresh and vibrant” flavour, he explains. However, over time and as the operation expands, plans are for a more traditional blend. Different blends will also be produced at different times of the year. As the apples age in storage, different flavour characteristics are produced. Plans are to try to maintain consistency in the different products by blending different batches of apples, juices and finished ciders before bottling. To achieve that consistency, Daley intends to hold back some cider to add to


JUDIE STEEVES First crush in full swing at the B.C. Tree Fruits Cider Company plant in Kelowna.


upcoming batches, creating more- complex flavours.


“There are some nice products out there, but there’s not always consistency,” he explains. Although these will be craft- produced ciders, it will be a ‘middle- sized’ operation, with production of about 15,000 cases this year, 20,000 next and plans for 100,000 in five years.


As the new facility gets started, the amount of apples it will crush into juice isn’t expected to make a big different to the co-op’s bottom line, but ultimately, Don Westcott, senior director of marketing and planning for BCTFC, says the long-term goal is to save grower-members $1 million a year with the cidery.


By adding value to the process or commercial grade fruit, cider-making fills a niche that will be particularly important in years when weather has a significant impact on the crop, for instance.


Savings won’t be noticeable until the new cidery becomes a commercial success, however, so he cautions growers not to expect to see an immediate difference in optimizing their returns. It will be the first large cidery in B.C. using all B.C. fruit, notes BCTF marketing manager Chris Pollock, and a ‘perry’ made using pears likely will follow the apple ciders. Other fruit ciders could follow.


“We plan to be in this for the long British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2015 21


term; not just a blip on the radar,” he notes.


Broken Ladder Cider will be offered in four-pack tins of 473 ml for $11.49.


Broken Ladder was chosen as a fun


name which is a play on growers’ efforts traditionally climbing rickety ladders to pick the best fruit in the world, says Pollock.


“This is a really exciting new development for growers,” he adds.


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