401 Brewery®

The hard cider renaissance is going strong. People have started exploring ciders in a big way. What draws consumers to cider? From a functional perspective, their fresh crisp taste, they are less filling than beer and not as strong as a cocktail. From an emotional perspective, they tap into the consumers need for discovery and exploration. The cider business has evolved in a similar way to the craft beer industry. A lot of local influences, different methods, styles and flavours are giving rise to a very vibrant category.

The first step, visit the cider brewery and find out how the product is made. The 401 Cider Brewery is located at the Big Apple in Colborne, Ontario. The cider is made from local Orchard Crisp apples. The idyllic orchards are spread along the pristine shores of Lake Ontario. The large and deep waters of Lake Ontario make ideal growing conditions for the apples.

The place, the product and the people made a big impact on the final brand identity. There was a very friendly, comfortable and simple way of life that needed to be captured. The final look takes you back to a time when things were less complicated. The apples get delivered in a truck and the 401 is the road that leads you from the orchard to the brewery.

The apple truck with the Big Apple illustration serves as the key element that anchors the identity with a visual that gives instant product recognition and synergy with the brand name. The look is very authentic, playing up the small town feeling. When it came time to develop the two products, Orchard Blend Cider and Craft Apple Cider, keeping it simple, black and white labels representing two distinct styles. The black and white labels make a very strong impact and shelf, clean and simple graphics entice consumers to explore the pure taste of the 401 Cider Brewery.

The new identity and new products launched at the end of 2015 and can only be purchased at the 401 Cider Brewery at the Big Apple in Colborne, Ontario. The lightly carbonated and delicate flavours pair well with just about anything, especially, fresh baked apple pie and ice cream.