March 07, 2013
Expats help Māori grower sell high class wine
A Māori winemaker says the KEA network of expatriate kiwis is helping get his products into international markets.
Jeff Sinnott spoke of his experience with whānau-owned business Ostler Wines to a business event this week hosted by KEA and Te Puni Kokiri.
He says the company is targeting sales of its pinot noir wine to high income neighbourhoods in New York.
It's using expatriate New Zealanders to identify suitable restaurants and bars to approach.
“The KEA network is virtually a bridge from our sales people and our customers. The customers being the buyers, the restaurants, the clubs, the bars or the retailers and often they become the customer themselves because they will go to a restaurant where they have helped to place our pinot for example. It’s highly likely that they will order a bottle of Ostler to show their friends and if they enjoy it, they will order another one,” he says.
Jeff Sinnott says while Ostler is based in Canterbury's Waitaki Valley, he would like to see the wine being grown in the Tuwharetoa area he's from.
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