Contact: Gordon Hickey
(804) 225-4260
www.governor.virginia.gov
~Family run agribusiness to produce 3 blends of Virginia cider ~
On July 13, Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced the grand opening of Albemarle CiderWorks in Albemarle County. The business, run by the Shelton family, represents a $650,000 investment in Albemarle County and will support three jobs with the possibility of more seasonal labor.
"Virginia has a strong agricultural heritage, and family run farms, like the Shelton's, have always been a part of that heritage," Governor Kaine said. "Protecting working farms like this and open space are among the ways we can preserve our agriculture heritage and ensure that agriculture will remain a strong industry in the Commonwealth."
Albemarle CiderWorks is a family run cidery that produces cider from heritage varieties of apples that thrive at its Rural Ridge Orchard in Albemarle County, Virginia. The farm currently has 3,000 fruit trees and ships root stock across the country. Bud and Mary Margaret Shelton purchased the farm, which sits on approximately 130 acres, and started a small orchard in 1986. Their children Chuck, Charlotte, Bill and Todd helped expand the orchard and created Vintage Virginia Apples in 2000, and now grandson Rob has joined the team, making it a three generation farm.
Albemarle CiderWorks will produce three blends of hard apple cider-Ragged Mountain, Royal Pippin, and Jupiter's Legacy. The first batch of cider has been bottled and is available now through the onsite tasting room and local retailers. More than 800 cases were bottled in 2009 with future capacity expected to be approximately 2,000 cases annually.
While the project was privately financed, it was assisted by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Virginia Wine Marketing Office and the Agribusiness Development Services Unit of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which facilitated access to state marketing resources and helped organize the Grand Opening event.
The state's assistance demonstrates why Virginia was highlighted recently in U S News & World Report as being among the "Five Best States to Start a Business." Last month, Pollina Corporate Real Estate Inc., a top U S corporate site relocation expert, also ranked Virginia first in its annual study of probusiness states, marking the third time overall.
During Governor Kaine's administration, Virginia has also been recognized as the most business friendly state in America (Forbes.com 2006-2008), one of the best states for business (CNBC 2007 and 2008), the top performing state government in America (Governing Magazine 2008) and the state where "a child is most likely to have a successful life (Education Week 2007)."