Crispin Cider Company Acquires Fox Barrel Cider Company

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Crispin Cider Company (Crispin) announced today the acquisition of California based Fox Barrel Cider Company in an all stock transaction.

The acquisition includes all assets, including the cidery located in Colfax, Calif, and liabilities.

"Crispin is now well placed in terms of scale and diversified super-premium portfolio to compete at the highest levels within the global cider market," said Joe Heron, CEO Crispin Cider Company. "Our existing investment, positive partnership and friendship with the Fox Barrel Cider Company deserved to be taken to a higher level in order to fully exploit the cider category, a category that continues to outpace other alcohol categories in terms of growth."

The acquisition brings together two clear brand platforms through which Crispin will be able to comprehensively satisfy the refreshment needs of current and new cider drinkers worldwide.

Classically refined, but not styled as a traditional sweet beer alternative, Crispin ciders are crisp and clean, not sweet and sticky and never sacrifice superior refreshment for overbearing complexity. The Crispin product line is comprised of the classic Blue Line varietals of Original, Brut and Light, as well as, the unique new world Artisanal Reserve™ Cloudy Hard Ciders – Honey Crisp and The Saint. Serve Crispin over a glass of ice and experience crisp, clean, pure natural refreshment.

Available in apple, pear and black currant, Fox Barrel superior ciders have been awarded multiple medals, including the California State Fair, West Coast Brewers Festival, the Great Lakes Olde World Syder Competition and the prestigious Three Counties International Cider Competition in Great Britain, amongst many others.

Crispin and Fox Barrel hard ciders are naturally fermented using fresh pressed apple juice from a premium blend of U.S. West Coast apples, never from apple juice concentrate, with no added malt, grape or spirit alcohol. Crispin and Fox Barrel's all natural flavors are smoothed with pure apple juice or natural organic sugar sources such as honey or maple syrup, contain no added colorants, sorbate or benzoate preservatives and are filtered cold for crisp refreshment.

"The combination of super-premium ingredients and hand-craftsmanship yields hard cider that's as good as any you will find worldwide, resulting in compelling drinkability with an engaging complexity," said Bruce Nissen, founder of the Fox Barrel Cider Company and now COO & head cider maker, Crispin Cider Company .

"The growth in the U.S. cider category is attractive to investors, particularly when one looks at how undeveloped the U.S. cider market is relative to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe and South Africa," said Mr. Melvin Jay, United Kingdom investor in Crispin Cider Company. "We see a major opportunity in terms of the combined company's innovation record, quality reputation and single-minded focus on superior in market execution."

For more information: www.CrispinOverIce.com and www.FoxBarrel.com

SOURCE Crispin Cider Company