President’s Notebook
April 24, 2013
A message from Woodchuck President and CEO Bret Williams
Another incredible Earth Week Campaign in the books. The results have been greater than we could have imagined. 7,311 trees planted this year and 42,033 total in the last four years. That equates to around 123 football fields of fresh forest planted since 2010.
$7,311 is headed to help Vermont tree fruit growers improve their bottom lines. A new solar orchard came online, giving us an additional 10% to 15% of our power from a renewable source. It’s been a great week and I wanted to take a moment and thank all of our fans out there.
We have been in the cider game for a long time. 22 years. What started in a small garage in the central Vermont town of Proctorsville has grown into a cider known from coast to coast. Since our earliest days, the priority has always been the quality of the liquid inside the bottle. We seek out the finest ingredients, keep our batches small, and strive to bring ciders to market that people will enjoy.
In sticking with those founding principles, a passionate and dedicated fanbase has cropped up. They, or should I say YOU have helped to drive our growth. That growth allowed us to enhance the way in which we are able to give back, and the environment has always been a top priority.
We switched to recycled packaging, efficient lighting and water systems in the early 2000s. In 2010, we invested in Vermont’s Cow Power program, which turns manure into energy. Over the last three years, we have received 25% of our power through that program, taking the equivalent of more than 600 cars off the road.
One of the coolest parts in all of this is that you, our fans, have joined us in this journey. When we put out a call for action, you answer the call every time. That is really awesome! We are so thankful and humbled that you share a passion not only for our ciders, but for our core values as a company as well. We have a saying around these parts: Good people, doing good things, in good way. You, the fans of Woodchuck, embody this mantra… thanks so much for your support and passion!
Cheers,
– Bret Williams
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