We had the good fortune of connecting with Lara Worm and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lara, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind ‘my success’ is having the confidence in myself to never give up. Business – and life – is so hard, and if you do not have the fortitude to take hits, learn lessons, ride the ups and downs and keep going, it’s almost insurmountable. The most important factor behind the success of the brand is understanding our target market/consumer, and creating a product that speaks to them. We make a product that we love and believe in – Bivouac is all about healthy outdoor adventurers that love to have a good time – so the product and the brand that we’ve created is everything we want in a craft beverage. #embraceyouradventure

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Bivouac Ciderworks makes craft cider for the active adventurer. The perfect reward after a long hike, Bivouac’s flavorful ciders are gluten free, lower sugar but packed with fruity vitamins and antioxidants, and just enough buzz to celebrate the climb, but you’ll still be able to make it down the mountain! At Bivouac, going “off-trail” is sort of our thing. We took a traditional drink, and broke the rules! To get the most flavorful smooth cider, we use white wine yeast and slow, cold fermentation. All of our ciders are named after knots, like our most popular “San Diego Jam,” our juicy, tart, crisp blackberry cider. What we are most excited about right now is our newest release (comes out tomorrow!) “True Lover’s” rosè cider. It is a refreshing blend of rosè wine made from riesling and cabernet, and our pear apple cider. The cans are the cutest, the liquid is amazing, and the boozy buzz is perfect. This cider is women-powered, and we are so proud of it. Getting to where we are…well, from our perspective, we’re still right at the beginning and have a long way to go! But the last three years have presented a lot of challenges and obstacles – from partnership and staffing changes, to economic and market changes, to global pandemic. It hasn’t been easy. But like I said about “success” – you just can’t give up. The harder you work, the more you dig in, the more you believe in something, the greater team that you build, the better your chances of success. I have learned so many lessons in the last three years, it is hard to list them here. Most importantly, build a good team, find mentors that you trust, and make sure you’re willing to put in the work and have a positive attitude. What we want the world to know is that life is too short – it is so important to seize every opportunity, to climb every mountain, to celebrate every accomplishment, to cherish every moment with your loved ones. That’s why our motto is “Embrace your adventure.”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hikes: Cowles for the workout Iron Mountain for the spacious views Torrey Pines to end with a surprise at Black’s Beach Standup Paddle Board in Mission Bay Rock Climb in Mission Trails or at Mesa Rim Yoga at one of the amazing yoga studios or outside in our beautiful weather Drive up the coast and stroll along the blvd in Encinitas Eating and drinking: (pre-covid) Bivouac Ciderworks taproom in North Park (of course!) – Cider flights and the best fried chicken sando in town Sycamore Den (Normal Heights) – Inventive craft cocktails in hip dive bar Brother’s Mexican Food – Classic taco shop Ironside (Little Italy) – Oysters and champagne Born and Raised (Little Italy) – Happy hour: a 40 of rose and wagyu slider Waterfront (Little Italy) – Late night drink in oldest dive bar KEX (Little Italy) – Sexy people watching, great djs Campfire (Carlsbad) – Amazing menu, chill atmosphere El Pescador Fish Market (La Jolla) – Classic fish counter Fishpit (College area) – Fish shack that looks like it belongs on a beach Akazi sushi (Banker’s Hill) – Best sushi The Zoo! Windansea Beach UTC Mall, if you fancy. And grab a secret cocktail at Raised By Wolves.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to Team Biv – my badass staff who has stuck by me through highs and lows, who brings effort and energy and creativity to work every day, who communicates directly and shows maturity and work ethic beyond their years. Sam, Jamie, and Susanna, without them, Biv wouldn’t be where it is today, and I would have lost my mind months ago!

Website: bivouaccider.com

Instagram: @bivouaccider

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-worm-136270/

Twitter: @bivouaccider

Facebook: facebook.com/bivouaccider

Yelp: Bivouac Ciderworks

Image Credits
Eh Ler Tha Corbin Emilio

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