SARO Cider x National Arbor Day Foundation: “Root to Sip” Showcase
SARO Cider & National Arbor Day Foundation Partner to Showcase Sustainable “Root to Sip” Cider at SARO Cider
Lincoln, Nebraska — In an era where consumers are increasingly seeking transparency and sustainability in what they drink, SARO Cider is redefining what it means to craft beverages responsibly. Through a unique collaboration with the National Arbor Day Foundation and its Heritage Orchard at Arbor Day Farm, SARO is bringing a true “root to sip” story to life; one that celebrates trees, preserves agricultural heritage, and delivers exceptional cider.
Housed in a thoughtfully repurposed trolley repair shop in downtown Lincoln, SARO Cider’s production facility embodies adaptive reuse at its finest. By transforming an existing structure rather than building anew, SARO significantly reduces its environmental footprint while preserving a piece of the city’s industrial history.
A More Sustainable Beverage Choice
Compared to many alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cider offers a superior sustainability profile:
Perennial agriculture: Apple trees require less frequent replanting than annual crops, reducing soil disruption and erosion.
Carbon sequestration: Orchards actively capture and store carbon, making them a climate-positive agricultural system.
Lower water intensity: Apples typically demand less water than crops like almonds or certain grains used in beer and spirits.
Minimal processing: Hard cider and non-alcoholic cider require fewer resource-intensive steps compared to distilled spirits or heavily processed beverages.
SARO takes these advantages even further by sourcing apples directly from the Heritage Orchard—ensuring minimal transportation, full traceability, and alignment with conservation practices.
“Root to Sip”: The Heritage Series
SARO’s Heritage Series ciders, including Arkansas Black, Stone Face, and Joy’s Harvest, are crafted exclusively from apples grown in the Heritage Orchard. These varieties represent generations of agricultural history, carefully preserved by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
From the roots of century-old trees to the final pour in the glass, each cider tells a complete story:
Root: Trees cultivated and conserved for biodiversity and resilience
Orchard: Sustainable land stewardship at Arbor Day Farm
Harvest: Hand-selected fruit capturing unique terroir and heritage genetics
Craft: Small-batch fermentation in a repurposed urban facility
Sip: A finished cider that connects consumers directly to the land and its legacy
This “root to sip” philosophy not only elevates the drinking experience but also reinforces the importance of preserving heirloom apple varieties, which were nearly lost to history, and the ecosystems that support them.
Celebrating Trees Through Collaboration
The partnership between SARO Cider and the National Arbor Day Foundation is more than a supply relationship—it’s a shared mission to highlight the essential role of trees in our lives.
“We are incredibly proud of our partnership with the National Arbor Day Foundation,” said head cider maker Chris Ganshert. “Through this collaboration, we get to show people that trees are far more than something beautiful to look at. They nurture us, provide shelter, create jobs, support biodiversity, and improve lives in ways most people don’t even realize. With every glass of cider, we’re telling that story.”
A Model for the Future
As consumers increasingly demand products that align with their environmental values, SARO Cider stands out as a model for what the future of beverage production can look like; localized, regenerative, and deeply connected to the natural world.
By pairing innovative urban production with heritage agriculture and conservation, SARO and the National Arbor Day Foundation are proving that sustainability isn’t just a feature, it can be the foundation of an entire brand.
About SARO Cider
SARO Cider is a Lincoln, Nebraska-based cidery crafting premium hard and non-alcoholic ciders with a focus on sustainability, heritage ingredients, and innovative preservative-free production practices.
About the National Arbor Day Foundation
The National Arbor Day Foundation inspires people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees to create a healthier, more sustainable world.