Taking Molley Chomper Cidery from Concept to a Lansing, NC Destination
The past decade has seen a boom in craft breweries and cideries, with drinkers and aficionados flocking to unique, independent producers offering a wealth of flavors, styles, and tastes. But it can be a hard industry to break into and find success with so many producers working to distinguish themselves among the pack.
But even through a competitive industry and a pandemic, Molley Chomper Hard Cider found a way to make it all happen.
A Hard Cider, An Easy Enjoyment
With tart, sweet, and crisp fruity flavors, hard ciders and fruit wines take the center stage at Molley Chomper. The cidery, which focuses on sourcing locally grown and harvested fruits to blend into a delicious arrangement of flavors for their patrons to enjoy, even presses their own juice in the summer and fall months.
They also make their hard ciders a bit easier to drink, with techniques and filtrations that focus on limiting sulfites and enzymes. They’re free of artificial flavoring and taste pure, flavorful, and delicious.
In addition to ciders, they also offer visitors a getaway experience. Located in Ashe County, North Carolina, the cidery has a perfect-sized, dog-friendly, food-friendly patio for patrons to come and spend an afternoon. They’ll host events, have live music, and give locals and travelers the perfect spot to sip and socialize.
Harvesting Apples and Growing a Business
Molley Chomper was first started in 2015 by husband and wife duo, Kate and Tim Arscott. By 2019, the cidery had grown to producing nearly 30,000 liters of cider that year. They left their corporate positions and leapt full-force into making their dream happen, creating a lifestyle that allowed them to follow their passions, break the monotony of everyday life, showcase delicious ciders, and bring a new experience to Lansing, North Carolina.
But it wasn’t a feat they could accomplish on their own.
“Passion and dedication could only take us so far. Luckily we were able to utilize funding and coaching services through Mountain BizWorks,” Kate recalls. “It was a huge part of helping us get through Covid-19 and the challenges presented from the pandemic.”
Coaching provided them with the guidance to maneuver and pivot throughout the fluctuating challenges of 2020 and the years that have followed since. It helped provide them with direction and the opportunity to recognize areas for growth, which ultimately led to the 2021 funding for their expansion.
In 2021, they received funding from Mountain BizWorks for a building expansion to accommodate the businesses’ foreseeable growth. This included the opportunity to expand their production and retail facilities, helping create an even more enjoyable experience to guests at Molley Chomper.
More Drinks on the Horizon
As a smaller town, Lansing, North Carolina is limited in what draws visitors, but Molley Chomper has become an iconic stop. With the completion of the expansion at the brewery, Kate and Tim look forward to continuing supporting local growers as their cidery expands.
The cidery has become instrumental in bringing about a stronger sense of community in Ashe County. The symbiotic relationship of supporting local farms, providing locals with a great Saturday stomping ground, and enticing visitors with promise of delicious drinks, firmly cements Molley Chomper as a key establishment in Lansing.
“We’re really looking forward to continuing being such a part of this community, growing with the other businesses around us, and sharing our passion for fruity, crisp ciders,” Tim says. “We’re excited to see what’s next!”
