Breath of fresh air for industry
By 2010-10-22 11:18:53
THE Gisborne wine industry has been given a huge boost of confidence with yesterday’s announcement of Lion Nathan and Indevin taking over all Pernod Ricard’s assets and some brands here.
With positive plans for the future, particularly for the Lindauer brand, it is a breath of fresh air for about 110 staff and 25 contracted growers, and others in the industry.
Indevin managing director Duncan McFarlane and director Richard Olliver said their company was very positive about what the deal meant for their business.
Around 50 permanent staff in the winery and vineyards, as well as about 60 seasonal staff, would continue to be employed under the same terms and conditions.
“With hundreds of years experience between them, they know about growing grapes, processing grapes and making high-quality wines,” said Mr Olliver.
There was a bright future for Lindauer and Gisborne, he said.
“We see Gisborne as producing a globally- prominent product. We see the Lindauer line as having a bright future – not only in New Zealand where it is an iconic brand, but that product has a positive future in export markets.
For Pernod Ricard, the Lindauer brand competed internally with some of their other strategic brands — Jacobs Creek, the most obvious one.
“It is going to be hard work, of course, but we don’t believe those export markets have been pushed as hard as they can.
“When successful, those export markets will raise the profile of Lindauer and will have flow-on benefits for Gisborne as well. There is still a lot of work to do and it is not going to be easy — the wine sector is going through a difficult time.”
As far as capacity, the Gisborne winery was among the top five in the country with a 16 million litres-plus capacity.
It was not operating near that at the moment.
“For us that is an opportunity and a bonus. It is not going to double overnight but it will rise,” Mr McFarlane said.
Indevin management would continue to buy fruit from existing Gisborne growers and would meet them in the next week .
Mr McFarlane said Indevin had bought the Twin Rivers vineyard in Hawke’s Bay primarily for the supply of pinot nior, an important ingredient of Lindauer Reserve.
From Indevin’s perspective, buying the Gisborne Pernod Ricard assets and vineyards was a big step but not a huge departure from its line of business, Mr McFarlane said.
CIVIL Defence headquarters went on full alert this morning in preparation for an “eight-metre tsunami” headed this way after a major earthquake in Peru.
It was all part of the nationwide Exercise Tangaroa, to test the country’s response to a tsunami threat.
Officers poured over maps this morning, and wardens and volunteers were dispatched to go door-knocking to prepare for “evacuations” starting at midday today.
People who did not want to play the game did not have to take part, said Civil Defence management officer Richard Steele.
About 3000 people in the district are in the likely impact zone as a tsunami with waves up to eight metres head towards the east coast of New Zealand.
The waves were expected to arrive at East Cape shortly before 7pm tonight. Waves of up to five metres are expected in other areas of the east coast of New Zealand.
Civil Defence controller Jon Davies said evacuation procedures would begin from midday in the Awapuni area from Waikanae Beach through to both sides of Kahutia Street. About 1000 people in the Awapuni area are affected.
“We will notify residents through door-knocking and a letter drop. No sirens are involved. All civil defence messages will be provided through local radio stations.
“A road closure in the Awapuni area and a diversion of State Highway 2 at the junction with Awapuni Road will take place between midday and 2.30pm to test our preparedness. This will not restrict access or businesses.”
Mr Davies said residents in the Awapuni area would be invited to take part in the evacuation exercise.
“We are asking them to register between 5pm and 7pm at the welfare centre at Mangapapa Church on the corner of Ormond Road and Atkinson Street.”
Residents in the Wainui affected zone will also receive notification and door-knocking but there will be no trial evacuation in that area.
• For more information check the Gisborne Herald website www.gisborneherald.co.nz, or listen to radio stations Classic Hits 90.9FM, Newstalk ZB 9.45AM and More FM 98.9FM, Radio Ngati Porou 98.1FM, 5.85AM and Uawa FM 88.5FM, Turanga FM 91.7FM, 95.5FM and 98.1FM for further updates.
With positive plans for the future, particularly for the Lindauer brand, it is a breath of fresh air for about 110 staff and 25 contracted growers, and others in the industry.
Indevin managing director Duncan McFarlane and director Richard Olliver said their company was very positive about what the deal meant for their business.
Around 50 permanent staff in the winery and vineyards, as well as about 60 seasonal staff, would continue to be employed under the same terms and conditions.
“With hundreds of years experience between them, they know about growing grapes, processing grapes and making high-quality wines,” said Mr Olliver.
There was a bright future for Lindauer and Gisborne, he said.
“We see Gisborne as producing a globally- prominent product. We see the Lindauer line as having a bright future – not only in New Zealand where it is an iconic brand, but that product has a positive future in export markets.
For Pernod Ricard, the Lindauer brand competed internally with some of their other strategic brands — Jacobs Creek, the most obvious one.
“It is going to be hard work, of course, but we don’t believe those export markets have been pushed as hard as they can.
“When successful, those export markets will raise the profile of Lindauer and will have flow-on benefits for Gisborne as well. There is still a lot of work to do and it is not going to be easy — the wine sector is going through a difficult time.”
As far as capacity, the Gisborne winery was among the top five in the country with a 16 million litres-plus capacity.
It was not operating near that at the moment.
“For us that is an opportunity and a bonus. It is not going to double overnight but it will rise,” Mr McFarlane said.
Indevin management would continue to buy fruit from existing Gisborne growers and would meet them in the next week .
Mr McFarlane said Indevin had bought the Twin Rivers vineyard in Hawke’s Bay primarily for the supply of pinot nior, an important ingredient of Lindauer Reserve.
From Indevin’s perspective, buying the Gisborne Pernod Ricard assets and vineyards was a big step but not a huge departure from its line of business, Mr McFarlane said.
CIVIL Defence headquarters went on full alert this morning in preparation for an “eight-metre tsunami” headed this way after a major earthquake in Peru.
It was all part of the nationwide Exercise Tangaroa, to test the country’s response to a tsunami threat.
Officers poured over maps this morning, and wardens and volunteers were dispatched to go door-knocking to prepare for “evacuations” starting at midday today.
People who did not want to play the game did not have to take part, said Civil Defence management officer Richard Steele.
About 3000 people in the district are in the likely impact zone as a tsunami with waves up to eight metres head towards the east coast of New Zealand.
The waves were expected to arrive at East Cape shortly before 7pm tonight. Waves of up to five metres are expected in other areas of the east coast of New Zealand.
Civil Defence controller Jon Davies said evacuation procedures would begin from midday in the Awapuni area from Waikanae Beach through to both sides of Kahutia Street. About 1000 people in the Awapuni area are affected.
“We will notify residents through door-knocking and a letter drop. No sirens are involved. All civil defence messages will be provided through local radio stations.
“A road closure in the Awapuni area and a diversion of State Highway 2 at the junction with Awapuni Road will take place between midday and 2.30pm to test our preparedness. This will not restrict access or businesses.”
Mr Davies said residents in the Awapuni area would be invited to take part in the evacuation exercise.
“We are asking them to register between 5pm and 7pm at the welfare centre at Mangapapa Church on the corner of Ormond Road and Atkinson Street.”
Residents in the Wainui affected zone will also receive notification and door-knocking but there will be no trial evacuation in that area.
• For more information check the Gisborne Herald website www.gisborneherald.co.nz, or listen to radio stations Classic Hits 90.9FM, Newstalk ZB 9.45AM and More FM 98.9FM, Radio Ngati Porou 98.1FM, 5.85AM and Uawa FM 88.5FM, Turanga FM 91.7FM, 95.5FM and 98.1FM for further updates.
From gisborneherald.co.nz