This year marked a milestone at Cider Summit Seattle—the 10th annual Oregon Fruit Company Fruit Cider Challenge. Since 2015, we’ve proudly sponsored this competition to spotlight creativity and innovation in cider, and 2025 was no exception.
And the Winners Are…
The 2025 Fruit Cider Challenge brought out some truly inspired creations. Congratulations to this year’s winners:
- 1st Place: One Tree Hard Cider for their vibrant Prickly Pear Cider
- 2nd Place: Slightly Furry for their refreshing Strawberry Slushie
- 3rd Place: Schilling Hard Cider for their playful Watermelon Cider
These inventive entries showcase exactly why we started this challenge a decade ago—to move the category beyond “sweet, medium, or dry” and inspire cider makers to experiment with new fruits and flavors.
Looking Back at a Decade of Innovation
When we first launched the Fruit Cider Challenge in 2015, grocery store cider selections were limited and predictable. We wanted to change that by giving makers a stage to show what was possible with bold fruit additions. Over the years, we’ve seen ciders that push boundaries, surprise palates, and win over new fans to the category.
Even during the two years when the event paused for COVID-19, our commitment to the cider industry never wavered. While cider faced tough competition from the rise of hard seltzer, we stayed the course—continuing to support makers through education and engagement at events like CiderCon, the national cider trade show.
Why Cider Still Matters
Today, cider continues to resonate with consumers. With more people seeking gluten-free options and looking for beverages made with clean, quality ingredients, cider offers an authentic and refreshing alternative. Many cider makers choose to work with the best fruit available—including fruit from Oregon Fruit Company—to deliver that true-to-nature flavor consumers are craving.
What we’re seeing in cider echoes the broader beverage industry: ingredients matter. From brewers to winemakers to cider makers, the drive for better fruit and better flavor continues to grow.
Cheers to the Next 10 Years
As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Oregon Fruit Company Fruit Cider Challenge, we’re reminded why we started this journey: to support innovation, to honor craft, and to share the fruit we grow in Oregon (and beyond) with makers who care.
Here’s to the next decade of creativity in the cider world—may it be even more colorful, flavorful, and fruit-forward.
