Devon-based Sandford Orchards has just won silver, at the International Cider Awards, for its non-alcoholic cider, Red Zero, to add to its burgeoning trophy cabinet. It has already been named Best Non-Alcoholic Cider at the World Cider Awards 2025 and won awards from Untapped Gold 2026, Great British Food Awards, Great Taste Awards, The International Cider Challenge, World Alcohol Free Awards, Taste of the West, Food Drink Devon and The Farm Shop and Deli Awards.
Barny Butterfield, founder of Sandford Orchards comments: “It took eight years of failure, iteration and obsession to get Red Zero right, but we like to do things properly at Sandford Orchards. When we perfected the process, we were thrilled with the outcome but we weren’t prepared for the response we received once we launched it. Fifteen months on and the accolades keep rolling in. Red Zero has been named best in county, region, country and the world! That is what we call alcohol-free cider done right!”
Red Zero (ABV <0.5%) is an utterly delicious, crisp and fruity non-alcoholic cider produced from fabulous apple varieties including Farmers Glory, Dabinett and Sweet Alford. Created using a combination of traditional cider methods and cutting edge technology, it is a real fermented drink with the alcohol extracted.
Barny continues: “Removing alcohol without damaging character is hard. Doing it properly is even harder. We invested in the right technology to access processes that genuinely lifted us above the category, taking learnings from wine and developing them in cider. We blend for a product without alcohol from the outset because when the alcohol is gone, there’s nowhere to hide. We have a cellar team with 70 years of experience which we use to ensure we make the right decisions at every stage. The judges can tell and so can our customers. It may be the most expensive way to make non-alcoholic cider but that is why it’s one of the most authentic non-alcoholic drinks out there.”
Founded in 2002, independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards is based in Crediton, Mid Devon in the oldest working cider mill in the UK. Sandford Orchards takes a fresh, natural and low impact approach to producing cider. Combining tradition and innovation, Sandford Orchards produces an award-winning range of core session, traditional, fine and fruit ciders.
For further information on Sandford Orchards please visit www.sandfordorchards.co.uk, follow Sandford Orchards on X, Facebook and Instagram.
Sandford Orchards takes a low impact approach to producing cider:
- Their orchards act as carbon sinks, promote soil health and support biodiversity
- Their apples are all grown in a 20 mile radius of the cider works
- Their by-products are bio-converted locally into natural green gas and CO2, which is used to carbonate their ciders
- They use locally coppiced regenerating woodlands for fuel for heating water and have installed solar panels which produce 25% of their required electricity
- They are working towards having all their company vehicles charged by renewable power
- They use natural lighting, rainwater harvested from their roofs and insulation to reduce their energy requirements
- Their cider is produced using filtration and cold sterilisation and without the need for boiling ingredients
