Sandford Orchards

Sandford Orchards is a Devon-based cider maker founded in 2002 by Barny Butterfield in Crediton, operating from the Lowman Works, documented as the oldest working cider mill in the UK. The business is independent and family-owned, producing a broad portfolio of traditional, fruit-infused, and vintage-dated ciders alongside an alcohol-free product.

The mill draws on bittersweet cider apples grown in the Crediton valley, a microclimate that shapes the character of the fruit across the entire range. Sandford Orchards sources from this defined regional area without the use of concentrates, keeping apple provenance traceable through to the finished cider.

The brand entered the alcohol-free market in 2021 with its first 0.0% cider, produced using a spinning cone column, a low-temperature method of separating alcohol from finished cider that protects aroma and flavour character through the process. Sandford Orchards developed the AF product specifically with designated drivers in mind, aiming to close the gap between full-strength and alcohol-free cider rather than offering a straightforward low-alcohol substitute.

The AF cider is available through mainstream supermarkets and specialist alcohol-free retailers, with multi-channel distribution reflecting the broader Sandford Orchards name. Within the overall portfolio, the AF product sits as a single addition to a much larger range, which means the brand's identity remains rooted in its Devon cider heritage rather than positioned as an AF-first proposition. For drinkers looking for AF cider from an established regional producer with a documented production method, Sandford Orchards offers genuine provenance at a mid-range price point.

The Collection

Red Zero