New Tech for Talkeetna Birch Sap Harvest
Grey_Coast_Media | Envato
Consolidation in Talkeetna’s birch syrup business has not slowed down innovation. Hammers Family Birch (HFB), which acquired Alaska Wild Harvest and Kahiltna Birchworks last year, is introducing a state-of-the-art automated vacuum tubing system for this spring’s sap collection.
Expanding Production Capacity
HFB says the technology will help meet the growing demand for birch-based products, including syrups, birch water, and confections. This season, HFB aims to tap more than 8,000 trees and collect more than 100,000 gallons of sap, with projections to expand to 20,000 trees by 2025. The harvest would be roughly double the size of last year’s and the most sap collected in more than five years.
“We are excited to launch our first harvest and build on Kahiltna Birchworks’ decades-old legacy of handcrafting premium craft birch products for the state’s residents and visitors,” says HFB co-founder Ted Hammers. “Expanding our production capacity will enable us to serve an even wider audience.”
HFB serves more than 120 wholesale accounts, including local and national retailers, breweries, and tourism and hospitality companies such as Natural Pantry, Denali Brewing Company, Princess Tours, and Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. The company also operates its own retail shop in Talkeetna.
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“We applaud Hammers Family Birch for their contributions to the state’s agricultural sector and sustainable expansion,” says Bryan Scoresby, director of the state Division of Agriculture. “Their efforts exemplify our shared vision of Alaska Grown products and innovation, and we look forward to seeing HFB’s continued growth and success.”
The sons of a first-generation Latvian immigrant, brothers Ted and Alex Hammers co-founded HFB with their childhood friend and business partner Chris Sorensen. Since last year’s harvest, they acquired two other established brands, Alaska Wild Harvest and Kahiltna Birchworks.
“We are excited to pass the birch torch off to HFB,” says Dulce Ben-East, who co-founded Kahiltna Birchworks with her husband, Michael East, in 1990. “While there is a lot to learn in the complex business we have built, these young men have the energy and vision to successfully grow and diversify the business. We are happy to see our legacy carried forward and to see what the future brings for Alaska’s birch sap and syrup industry.”
Through sustainable tapping practices, HFB hopes to ensure the Susitna Valley’s delicate forest ecosystem remains undisturbed. Birch trees are tapped during a three- to four-week window in early spring, safeguarding their health.
“Our goal is to improve lives by offering sustainably sourced, health-enhancing birch-sap-based products that echo our heritage and personal passions,” Ted Hammers says. “Hammers Family Birch is our way of sharing a piece of that legacy with the hope of making a positive impact in this world. “
Making History
The track of oil and gas development in Alaska shows the footprints of bold companies and hard-working individuals who shaped the industry in the past and continue to innovate today. The May 2024 issue of Alaska Business explores that history while looking forward to new product development, the energy transition for the fishing fleet, and the ethics of AI tools in business.