Powerlist – Molly Leadbetter – Owner – Meriwether Cider

With two locations in Garden City and Boise, Molly Leadbetter, owner of Meriwether Cider, is the only certified Pommelier in the state. She passed the test to become Idaho’s first and only Certified Pommelier through the American Cider Association and received the Boise District SBA’s Woman-Owned Business Person of the Year award.

“Being one of the first cideries to open in the state was a bit of a challenge because the public education around craft cider was slow and hard,” Leadbetter said. “There were so many misconceptions about what cider is and what it tastes like. Ultimately, it is also a gift still to this day because one of my favorite things is bringing a guest from saying they don’t like cider to have them change their minds and get excited about it.”

Leadbetter plans to sit on judging panels for cider competitions next year, specifically GLINTCAP (Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition) and Northwest Cider Cup.

The cidery has also benefitted the state by donating roughly $51,000 to local nonprofits.

“We host many events that support local causes,” she said. “I think our taprooms are a safe, fun, easy atmosphere where you can have conversations with friends, build relationships and try new things, which is really what community is all about.”

Leadbetter was a Wildland Firefighter for six years before starting Meriwether. She started Meriwether as a family with her parents and sister. Her father was the cidermaker and was already creating tasty cider at home.

“We knew our product was good; we just had to figure out how to make all the other parts of the business work,” Leadbetter said. “I never envisioned this as my career path, but I couldn’t be happier that this is where I landed.”