• by Teresa Buyikian , February 9, 2026

Cider maker Angry Orchard is helping consumers rid themselves of the stuff left behind from past relationships this Valentine’s Day.

The brand rolled out the Angry Orchard Exchange Program last week, which “helps the heartbroken transform their ex's abandoned belongings into something they actually want: hard cider.”

Cider-loving souls unfortunately left with their ex’s abandoned junk post-breakup, such as hoodies, dusty vinyl, posters, etc., can request a free Angry Orchard Ex-Change Kit via the website. The kit includes packaging materials and a prepaid shipping label, which sends the ex’s junk directly to the Angry Orchard Cider House in Walden, New York.

Once the brand receives the goods, the consumer will receive cash to put toward a case of Angry Orchard.

“Valentine’s Day has a way of stirring up plenty of frustrations, and at Angry Orchard, we love helping our drinkers find the fun in all of it,” said Matt Withington, senior director of marketing at Angry Orchard, in a release.

The brand will recycle whatever it receives through the program, stating “all items will be sorted and donated, so nothing goes to waste… except the relationship itself.”

Since rolling out the program last week via its social media platforms, promoting it with short-form videos such as this one, the brand has run out of the Ex-Change kits and started a waiting list, citing overwhelming response.

The brand’s Instagram posts on the program have gone viral, with over 16,000 likes and more than 20,000 shares. Comments included “Do you take emotional damage ? lol but not lol but lol,” “Can I return him??” and “This is the type of marketing I love to see! I’ll check my closet, definitely some bs in there I could get rid of from my X!!!”