Schilling Cider raises $142,900 for wild space preservation

By AI, Created 4:49 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Schilling Cider says its 2026 KEEP IT WILD campaign raised $142,900 for eight nonprofit partners across 13 states, topping last year’s $105,000 total. The April fundraiser expands the cider maker’s environmental giving and underscores how distributor support is amplifying its conservation work.

Why it matters: - Schilling Cider’s annual KEEP IT WILD campaign is now the largest environmental fundraising effort in the cider industry, giving conservation groups direct funding for land, water and habitat work. - The 2026 total of $142,900 exceeded the company’s 2025 gift of $105,000, showing the program’s growth and widening reach. - The fundraiser supports nonprofits working across 13 states, including Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Carolina and Virginia.

What happened: - Schilling Cider said its expanded 2026 KEEP IT WILD initiative raised $142,900 for eight nonprofit partners. - The campaign ran in April, as it has each year since 2022. - Schilling Cider and distributor partners including Columbia Distributing, Coors Distributing Company, RNDC - Anchorage, Crescent Crown Distributing, Hayden Beverage Company, Finley Distributing, Legacy Beverage, Keg 1 Colorado and Golden Brands contributed to the total. - The company donates 5% of sales from select top-selling ciders to nonprofit organizations that protect wild spaces. - The 2026 program added North Carolina and Virginia, expanding the campaign’s footprint.

The details: - The 2026 beneficiaries are Washington Wild, Oregon Wild, The Wildlands Conservancy, Western Resource Advocates, WildEarth Guardians, Alaska Conservation Foundation, Alliance for the Great Lakes and Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. - Schilling Cider said it is the largest annual corporate donor to at least two of the beneficiaries, including Washington Wild and Oregon Wild. - The campaign’s funding was further strengthened by distributor partner contributions. - Schilling said the initiative also helps raise the visibility and on-the-ground impact of each nonprofit partner. - Schilling Cider described KEEP IT WILD as a way to translate company values into measurable environmental support. - More information is available at Schilling Cider’s KEEP IT WILD page.

Between the lines: - The campaign gives Schilling a visible sustainability platform while also creating a repeatable fundraising model tied to product sales. - The addition of more states suggests the company is using distribution growth to broaden its conservation impact. - Schilling’s message positions environmental action as an industry standard it wants other beverage brands to match. - The company recently added Climate Label Certification and says it operates the industry’s first and only 100% EV-powered sales fleet, reinforcing its sustainability brand beyond the fundraiser.

What’s next: - Schilling Cider is likely to keep the KEEP IT WILD program running each April as part of its annual giving strategy. - The company’s expanded state participation and distributor support may open the door to larger donations in future years. - Schilling Cider says it will continue pairing sales, partnerships and sustainability initiatives to support environmental protection.

The bottom line: - Schilling Cider turned a seasonal sales program into a growing conservation fundraiser, and the 2026 edition delivered its biggest total yet.