TGFC Producer Spotlight

Introducing Janice and Pete from Peat Cider 

Janice and Pete from Peat Cider have an interesting story to share. After years of raising beef and highland cattle in Hamilton, battling with water and power, and trying to keep the highlanders under control, their cidery plan started to take shape. They now grow their apples, press, and ferment them on their farm to craft fresh natural and gluten free cider.

TGFC/ How did you get started?

Janice and Pete/ When we first moved onto the land, it was still swampy, with rushes and old stumps just under the surface - we still have work to do in our back paddock. It has taken clearing, planting and regular applications of organic seaweed fertilizer to bring the land to its full potential. 

After years of raising beef and highland cattle, our cidery plan started to take shape. We began purchasing and planting an orchard using heritage trees, and setting up an on-site cidery, to bring to New Zealand a traditional craft cider worthy of our forefathers in the UK. There are limited cider orchards in NZ so sourcing heritage trees is a challenge. What began as a sprinkle of apples, pears and stonefruit 25 years ago, has now grown to a working apple cider orchard established in 2020. We have a 'Franglaise' selection - varieties from the UK, and France, working alongside our Crab, Braeburn and Sturmer and other older NZ culinary varieties.

TGFC/ How did you come up with your name?

Janice and Pete/ Our name, Peat Cider, is due to the rich fertile peat soil of the land our trees are grown in. It's a highly productive growing medium with a soft, spongy earth composed of decayed vegetation like moss, plants and tree roots. It's an extremely valuable ecological resource, with 94,000 hectares and around half of New Zealand's entire peatland here in the Waikato. These peatlands have taken over 18,000 years to form and are up to 11 metres deep, containing about 76 million tonnes of carbon.

TGFC/ What makes Peat Cider special?

Janice and Pete/ We believe our product is special as we follow the paddock to the plate method, and everything is done by us, on our site, from the growing to the processing and packaging here in the outskirts of Hamilton.

TGFC/ What's your vision for Peat Cider?

Janice and Pete/ To be recognised as a quality brand of craft cider from the Waikato. One that seeks to provide unique, exciting experiences to our customers and that captures the true essence of old heritage cider with a distinct Kiwi twist.

TGFC/ Do you have a favourite product?

Janice and Pete/ Our favourite product would be our Old Sod Original. This is a medium cider, so it suits most palates, and is our trophy and gold winner for 2021 earning best modern cider in New Zealand.

TGFC/ Have you won any awards?

Janice and Pete/ We have been up and running since 2020. Each year we have managed to pick up awards for our ciders. In our first year, we received golds for our Dry Old Sod and Original, with bronzes for our Blood Orange and Old Sod Reserve. In 2022, we gained two silvers for our Passionfruit Pavlova and Plum Tart with a bronze for our Mongrel.