Transition to Organics (NWTOPP), partner spotlight & events
August 3, 2026
Kahiltna Birchworks: Untapped Potential in Alaska's Birch Forests
Our blog is a space for sharing and learning about various food systems topics across Alaska. We occasionally have Guest Blogs that highlight particular issues and stories of interest. The views in our Guest Blogs are not reflections of APFC positions. If you are interested in writing a Guest Blog, please contact info@alaskafoodpolicycouncil.org to discuss your idea!
By Alex & Matt Lowber, LOBO Brand Shop
Each spring, as winter loosens its grip on Alaska and the snow begins to melt, a brief but intense harvest season unfolds among the birch forests near Talkeetna. For the team at Kahiltna Birchworks, this three- to four-week window is the culmination of months of preparation and the foundation for an entire year’s worth of products.
Kahiltna Birchworks was founded in 1990 by Michael East and Dulce Ben-East on their remote homestead in Alaska’s Susitna Valley, where they tapped their first 200 birch trees and produced their first batch of birch syrup. Over the decades, the operation grew into the world’s largest birch syrup producer, tapping as many as 16,000 trees annually while building a reputation for quality and sustainable harvest practices. In 2023, ownership transitioned to Ted and Alex Hammers and their longtime friend and business partner, Chris Sorensen. “We have the honor of carrying on the legacy of Michael and Dulce Ben-East, who are the original forefathers of the birch syrup industry,” says Ted Hammers, co-founder and Chief Birch Officer.
Today, the operation taps approximately 6,000 birch trees across 100 acres near the base of Denali. While the equipment and facilities have evolved, including a new automated sap collection system and a larger production facility in Palmer, the heart of the process remains the same. Birch syrup production is a labor-intensive process. It takes approximately 135 gallons of sap to produce just one gallon of syrup, significantly more than maple syrup requires. Every drop represents long days of work during Alaska’s unpredictable spring conditions, from deep snow to mud and rain. In addition to syrup, the company has expanded into new birch-based products, including Birch Brew, a fermented birch sap beverage inspired by traditions Ted first encountered during a family trip to Latvia more than a decade ago.
For Kahiltna Birchworks, organic certification is a natural extension of its commitment to transparency and stewardship. “I think there’s a lot of value in the organic certification as credibility to our operation,” Ted explains. “It also opens us up to new markets.”
Annual inspections and documentation requirements help maintain accountability and traceability throughout the operation. Ted believes the certification provides assurance to consumers that products are being produced according to established standards and with transparency.
Beyond market access, Kahiltna Birchworks sees its work as part of a larger effort to strengthen Alaska’s food system. Birch sap is an abundant and renewable resource found throughout the state’s boreal forests, and transforming it into shelf-stable products creates value from a uniquely Alaskan ingredient. As the company continues to grow, its mission remains rooted in the same principles that inspired its founders more than three decades ago: respect for the land, sustainable harvest practices, and sharing the remarkable potential of Alaska’s birch forests with the world.
