Fresh Apples For Top-Quality Cider

Larry Whitfield, owner of Loxtonia, an apple, pear and plum farm, has successfully branched into cider production. Unusually, he uses fresh apples to produce his award-winning ciders. He spoke to Wouter Kriel.

- Wouter Kriel

FAST FACTS

Loxtonia was crowned the overall champion at the 11th International Cider Challenge.

The cidery identified health-conscious and eco-friendly consumers of between 18 and 35 as the main target market of its ciders.

Its concept of ‘orchard to bottle’ is unique in South Africa and sets it apart from other cider producers.

In 1990, Larry Whitfield bought Loxtonia, a prune farm on the outskirts of Ceres in the Western Cape, and set about redeveloping it into an export apple, pear, and plum farm.

“The name Loxtonia comes from a previous owner who married a woman from Loxton in the Karoo. The name was an effort to lessen her homesickness, and the manor house is a traditional Karoo-style stone house,” he says.

Loxtonia is planted to 40ha of apples, 20ha of pears, and 30ha of plums, all geared for the export market. In terms of apples, Loxtonia grows Royal Gala, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Cripps Red cultivars.

“We currently export 75% of our fruit, with the balance going to various local markets and into our cider production.”

Whitfield started experimenting with cider in 2013 as an alternative way to use small and blemished apples.