Transforming Blake’s Hard Cider
From Market Entry to Market Leader in Western PA
Executive Summary
Founded in 2013 on a third-generation family farm by Andrew Blake, Blake’s Hard Cider began with a passion for exploring the world of hard cider. When Shane Lohman and Steel City Beer Wholesalers brought Blake’s to the Western Pennsylvania market in 2017, it was a young brand with immense potential, eager to establish itself regionally.
Through strategic planning, targeted investment, and comprehensive market strategies, Steel City Beer Wholesalers transformed Blake’s Hard Cider from a promising newcomer to the second largest and fastest-growing hard cider brand in the region within three years. This case study showcases how we built brand awareness, expanded distribution, drove consumer engagement, and established substantial market presence, ultimately positioning Blake’s Hard Cider as a leader in the Western PA market.
Client Situation
When Blake’s Hard Cider approached us at Steel City Beer, they had no previous presence in Western Pennsylvania. Despite their popularity in markets closer to home, entering and growing the brand in a new market presented several challenges:
No Brand Awareness: Consumers in Western PA were unfamiliar with Blake’s Hard Cider, making it difficult to compete with established local and national brands.
Creating Retail Distribution: With no previous market entry, we had to build Blake’s distribution footprint and market penetration from the ground up.
Nonexistent Consumer Engagement: There was no existing consumer engagement or brand loyalty, so we needed to create this momentum from scratch.
Competitive Market: Western PA's hard cider market is highly competitive, with numerous well-established local, regional, and national brands, making it challenging for newcomers to gain a foothold.
Blake’s Hard Cider required a comprehensive strategy to build the brand from the ground up. This entailed creating distribution and market penetration, establishing brand awareness, and driving consumer engagement from scratch.
Objectives
Our primary objectives for Blake’s Hard Cider were:
Create Brand Awareness: Establish Blake’s Hard Cider as a recognizable and preferred brand among consumers in Western PA, overcoming the initial lack of familiarity.
Build Distribution: Secure placements in a high volume of retail locations to build a strong distribution footprint and enhance market visibility and accessibility.
Drive Consumer Engagement and Loyalty: Foster strong consumer relationships and encourage repeat purchases through targeted brand-building strategies, addressing the initial lack of consumer engagement and loyalty.
Achieve Significant Sales Growth: Increase sales to position Blake’s Hard Cider as one of the largest and most successful hard cider brands in the highly competitive Western PA market.
Solutions
To achieve these objectives, we implemented a series of strategic actions:
Brand Strategy Development: Built and executed an effective brand strategy tailored to the Western PA market, ensuring alignment with local consumer preferences and market dynamics.
Comprehensive Distribution Strategy: Developed and executed a robust distribution plan, targeting key retail locations and ensuring widespread availability of Blake’s Hard Cider.
Strategic Brand Positioning: Positioned Blake’s Hard Cider as a premium, high-quality product while maintaining its approachability and price competitiveness through strategic brand strategies and marketing efforts.
Promotional Campaigns: Launched targeted promotional campaigns, including in-store tastings, local events, and social media marketing, to boost brand visibility and consumer interest.
Results
The strategies and actions we implemented resulted in significant achievements:
Remarkable Sales Growth: Sold over 70,000 cases of Blake’s Hard Cider in the Western PA market.
Dominant Market Share: Captured substantial market share, establishing Blake’s Hard Cider as the second largest and fastest-growing hard cider brand in the region.
Extensive Retail Expansion: Secured placements in over 400 new retail locations, significantly enhancing the product’s visibility and accessibility.
Top Market Performance: Elevated Western PA into one of the top ten markets for Blake’s Hard Cider out of the 80 they serviced.
Chain Account Success: Established multiple Blake’s SKUs as top 100 volume beer and cider products in the top regional grocery chain.
Transforming Blake’s Hard Cider into a Market Leader
From no previous brand presence to becoming the second largest and fastest-growing hard cider in Western PA, the journey of Blake’s Hard Cider showcases the power of strategic planning and targeted execution. Through my leadership at Steel City Beer wholesalers, we leveraged in-depth market insights, implemented a robust brand strategy, and invested in brand building to transform Blake’s Hard Cider into a regional market leader. This success story is a testament to the effectiveness of my comprehensive approach and dedication to achieving outstanding results, principles that I now bring to clients at Five Star Beverage.
Highlights of Success
Remarkable Sales Growth: Sold over 70,000 cases of Blake’s Hard Cider in the Western PA market.
Dominant Market Share: Captured substantial market share, establishing Blake’s Hard Cider as the second largest and fastest-growing hard cider brand in the region.
Extensive Retail Expansion: Secured placements in over 400 new retail locations, significantly enhancing the product’s visibility and accessibility.
Top Market Performance: Elevated Western PA into one of the top ten markets for Blake’s Hard Cider out of the 80 they serviced.
Chain Account Success: Established multiple Blake’s SKUs as top 100 volume beer and cider products in the top regional grocery chain.
Partner with Us for Your Brand’s Success
By grounding our decisions in comprehensive strategy, I transformed Blake’s Hard Cider into a market leader while leading Steel City Beer Wholesalers. Thoughtful planning, strategic development, and targeted investment were key to this success. Now, at Five Star Beverage, I apply these proven strategies to help other brands achieve similar results.
Don’t let another day pass without taking action towards the success your beverage business deserves. Reach out to us now to schedule your free strategy call. Together, we’ll explore the possibilities, identify the opportunities, and start the journey towards making your brand the standout choice for consumers and distributors alike.