Stepping into the craft cider scene, the spotlight turns to Citizen Cider, a brand entangled in a web of controversy. Renowned for its artisanal cider-making, Citizen Cider has come under scrutiny, sparking discussions about different facets of its business.
In this post, we explore the landscape of the controversy surrounding Citizen Cider, unpacking the incidents and issues that have sparked public debate. Join us as we navigate through the complexities and controversies that shape the narrative around Citizen Cider.
What is the Controversy Related to Citizen Cider?
Citizen Cider is a craft cider company based in Burlington, Vermont, USA. They have been facing a boycott and backlash from many customers and businesses after allegations of a toxic and misogynistic workplace culture surfaced on social media.
The controversy was sparked by the launch of their new beer line “Hey Bub” which had a s*xually suggestive marketing campaign that some employees found offensive and demeaning. More than a dozen employees reportedly quit in protest and some shared their stories of h_rassment and discrimination by the management.
Citizen Cider has issued a statement denying any intentional wrongdoing and saying they have hired a third-party organization to evaluate their business practices.
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Which Statement Did Citizen Cider Release?
In response to claims that it had created a toxic workplace and in a massive corporate boycott of its goods, Citizen Cider declared that it would engage an outside agency to assess its business procedures.
The Burlington, Vermont-based company’s president and co-founder, Justin Heilenbach, said in a message shared on social media that poor communication had resulted in “powerful misunderstandings.” Heilenbach wrote:
“We have made systematic changes to prevent this from happening in the future. However, at no time in our history has Citizen Cider ever intentionally created a hostile environment or endorsed homophobic or misogynistic practices.”
Citizen Cider shared an update on Instagram, stating that it has engaged a Burlington firm to look into allegations regarding the company’s working conditions, which have resulted in a broad boycott of the company’s goods by local establishments, many of which are pubs and restaurants.
On its website, CSC Investigations claims to have “extensive experience” looking into complaints from academic institutions and employers regarding s*xual misconduct, h_rassment, discrimination and policy breaches.
Three attorneys and licensed private investigators, Ellen Coogan, Nancy Goss Sheahan and Tamara Chase, along with Natasha Sen, started the business.
Citizen Cider posted a statement on Instagram stating that they are questioning both previous and present staff as part of CSC Investigations and that they look forward to “receiving the investigation results and feedback from CSC.”
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Heilenbach stated that Citizen Cider has not addressed accusations on what he called “toxic platforms” because there’s not a real discourse to be had there. Heilenbach said that instead, he and his management group had been speaking with clients face-to-face.
He acknowledged that the discussions had not had much of an impact on stopping the Citizen Cider boycott. Heilenbach refuted reports of a staff walkout and announced the discontinuation of Hey Bub beer-themed T-shirts with explicit language.
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