Virtue Farms opens Fennville tasting room, hires distributor

So far Virtue Cider has been available only in Chicago. No more. The maker of craft cider has chosen Kent Beverage to be its distributor in Southwest and West Michigan. 

 

Kent Beverage's initial distribution area will cover 29 counties in an area that includes Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Lansing and communities on much of the Lake Michigan coast.  

 

"The U.S. cider market is projected to take a 3 percent market share in the next five years and is a category that we’ve been paying close attention to,” says Brendan Gary, Craft Brands Manager at Kent Beverage.

 

Virtue is the craft cider venture, launched in June 2011 by Gregory Hall, former Brewmaster at Goose Island Brewing Company, and co-founder Stephen Schmakel. Virtue purchased a 48-acre farm in Fennville in March 2012. The company's vision is to create a sustainable, authentic cider house experience where guests can tour the farm and taste locally made ciders. 

 

Gary says they have worked with Greg Hall for many years and his knowledge, name recognition, and the quality of this products encourages Kent Beverage to believe Virtue Cider brand will be a major player in Michigan markets. 

 

In other news from Virtue Cider's farm in Fennville the tasting room celebrated its grand opening on Wednesday, May 1. The building that houses the apple press, fermentation tanks and a small bottle shop all are in operation.

 

“Fennville is our home, as much as Chicago," says Hall, "and we can’t wait to share our ciders with our local community as well as visitors to this beautiful area.”

 

Virtue produces ciders that combine old world farmhouse styles with modern craft fermentation and aging techniques. The company's mission is to make authentic English, French and Spanish style ciders using the heirloom apple varieties sourced from local farmers. It also partners with local farmers to find the highest quality heirloom apples.