MULTI-award winning cider maker, Sandford Orchards, is delighted to announce the appointment of a new Sales Director, Richard Smith, who will play a pivotal role in delivering their ongoing ambitious growth plans.

Barny Butterfield, owner and founder of the Crediton-based cider company, comments: "Whilst others in our sector have seen a continual decline in sales, we are consistently out-performing the market and Richard’s appointment is part of our plan to keep growing.”

Richard joins Sandford Orchards with a great track record of success, having worked at director level for brands including Sharp’s and Dartmoor Brewery. 

He said: ”I am very excited to be joining such a dynamic and well-respected business which has continued to demonstrate success during some of the toughest times for our industry.

“I am looking forward to sharing my business expertise with their fantastic team to ensure that sales of Sandford Orchards’ award-winning, authentic cider continue to reach even greater heights.”

Barny added: “We are thrilled to welcome Richard to Sandford Orchards. I am confident that, with his knowledge, skills and contacts in the trade, he will be a huge asset to the team and key to helping us continue to drive the business forward. His wealth of experience will be invaluable in helping us deliver on our vision for the future.

"Our heartland will always be the West Country, but as back-to-back* reigning global trophy holders for the best cider in the world, our national and export business is growing strongly too.

“We feel that great cider deserves no boundaries, and look forward to increasing our sales to customers looking for an authentic trade-up to world-beating cider."  

Sandford Orchards is one of the fastest growing challenger brands in the cider industry.

It bucked the business trend during the pandemic by investing £1.2 million into expanding its bottling and canning capabilities and developing and implementing a new branding strategy.

The company’s ethos is to produce the best tasting cider “done right”.

*Winner of the Best Tannic Cider in the world in 2022 and 2023 at the International Cider Challenge.