Cider Canada / Cidre Canada announced a new two-year initiative to strengthen the export readiness, international visibility and long-term competitiveness of Canada’s cider industry. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will provide Cider Canada with a contribution of up to $98,450 through the AgriMarketing Program, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, for the project, Elevating Canadian Cider: A Strategic Initiative to Expand into International Markets.
Cider Canada will provide an equal contribution, bringing the total approved project value to $196,900. “Canadian cider has a strong and distinctive story to tell,” said Barry Rooke, Executive Director of Cider Canada / Cidre Canada. “By working together nationally, we can open doors and create opportunities that many producers would find difficult to pursue on their own for a product that deserves to be further showcased internationally.”
Running from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028, the project will help Canadian cider producers better understand priority markets, develop a co-ordinated national identity for international promotion and establish relationships with importers, distributors, retailers and other prospective buyers.
The project will support:
- Research and analysis of the Canadian and United Kingdom cider markets
- Development of a bilingual Canadian cider export brand and marketing toolkit
- Digital resources, multimedia storytelling and training to support export readiness
- Canadian tasting events and engagement with domestic and international buyers
- A targeted trade mission to the United Kingdom, including business-to-business meetings and product showcases
“The Canadian cider industry is an important part of our nation’s vibrant food and beverage sector, offering unique, high-quality products rooted in Canadian agriculture,” said the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “By supporting projects like this, our government is helping producers develop the tools and international relationships they need to compete and grow. Together, we are opening new doors for exporters and enhancing Canada’s reputation for excellence.”
Since Cider Canada / Cidre Canada began its work in 2021, the association has focused on bringing producers together and supporting more co-ordinated growth for the cider industry across the country. This initiative builds on that foundation by providing producers with practical market intelligence, shared promotional resources and stronger connections to potential international partners and provincial partners. It will help the sector grow together nationally while positioning Canadian cider as a distinctive, high-quality Canadian agri-food product in international markets.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada under the AgriMarketing Program.
