Foley Wines

What Foley Wines does

Foley Wines Limited (NZX: FWL) is a publicly listed New Zealand wine producer that owns and operates a multi-brand portfolio of six wineries spanning three of the country's most acclaimed regions: Martinborough (Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard), Marlborough (Grove Mill, Vavasour), and Central Otago (Mt Difficulty), plus Lighthouse Gin as a craft spirits extension and several secondary labels (Dashwood, Roaring Meg, Russian Jack, Boatshed Bay, The Pass, Clifford Bay, Goldwater). The company produces premium still wines — primarily Pinot Noir from Martinborough and Central Otago and Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough — alongside hospitality venues (The Runholder in Martinborough and the Mt Difficulty cellar door and restaurant in Bannockburn), the Foley Cellars online cellar door, the Foley Wine Club subscription, and the Toast Martinborough festival acquired in February 2024.

The business is built on a premiumisation strategy focused on selling higher-priced bottled wine at better margins rather than volume, deliberately avoiding the bulk wine market. Distribution runs through three intertwined channels: wholesale via the 10-year strategic partnership with Lion NZ for domestic distribution and dedicated importers for UK, Asia, Australia, and North America; direct-to-consumer through Foley Cellars, the Foley Wine Club loyalty programme, and physical cellar doors; and brand-building via international wine competitions and wine tourism. Production technology centres on conventional winemaking supported by sustainable infrastructure — solar energy at four sites, water-recycling systems across all wineries, NZ-sourced recycled glass bottling, and Mt Difficulty's living-roof design — with vineyard land including the 2021-conditional Zebra Flat Vineyard purchase adding vertical integration in Central Otago.

Foley Wines generates revenue primarily from bottled wine sales, with revenue from continuing operations reported at NZD 66,449,000 for FY2024 and NZD 62,281,000 in FY2023 bottled sales (+13.8% year-on-year) on record case volumes of 584,000 (+11.2%). The majority shareholder is Bill Foley through US-based Foley Family Wines Holdings, Inc. (also a Top 20 US wine group with 17 wineries), and the company expanded through the NZD 52M Mt Difficulty Wines acquisition completed in January 2019, the 2023 opening of The Runholder, and the 2023 Grove Mill capacity expansion to 4,000 tonnes. Half-year FY2026 results show materially slower growth: bottled sales revenue up 0.5% to NZD 32.5M and case sales down 2% to 290,000 cases, alongside a 7% smaller 2026 harvest at 8,012 tonnes.

Name

Foley Wines

Legal name

Foley Wines Limited

Website

https://foleywines.co.nz

Company type

Public

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Foley Wines Limited (NZX: FWL) is a New Zealand wine producer operating six wineries across Martinborough, Marlborough, and Central Otago, producing premium Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and craft gin for global retail, on-trade, and direct-to-consumer channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)

Keywords

• Premium wine production
• New Zealand wineries
• Pinot Noir winemaking
• Sauvignon Blanc production
• Craft gin distilling

Headquarters

HQ city

Renwick

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Bottled Wine Sales: Primary revenue stream from sale of premium bottled wines under multiple iconic New Zealand wine brands. Revenue from continuing operations reported at NZD 66,449,000 for FY2024. The company focuses on premiumisation, selling wine at higher price points rather than volume.
2. Hospitality and Cellar Door: Revenue from The Runholder restaurant, tasting room, and cellar door experiences in Martinborough; Mt Difficulty cellar door and restaurant in Central Otago; and the Toast Martinborough wine and food festival.
3. Direct-to-Consumer: Foley Wine Club online cellar door sales with exclusive case pricing, complemented by the Foley Rewards loyalty programme.
4. Lighthouse Gin: Craft gin sales through the same distribution channels as wines, with distillery facilities at The Runholder in Martinborough.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Foley Wines produces, markets, and sells premium bottled New Zealand wines across multiple winery brands from three acclaimed regions (Martinborough, Marlborough, Central Otago), alongside Lighthouse Gin. Distribution occurs through international wholesale partners, airlines, premium retailers and restaurants globally, plus direct-to-consumer channels including the Foley Cellars online wine club, Foley Rewards loyalty programme, and cellar door hospitality venues such as The Runholder (Martinborough) and Mt Difficulty (Bannockburn).

Product overview

Foley Wines is a collection of iconic wineries and brands from New Zealand's most acclaimed wine regions. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio spanning Martinborough (Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard, Lighthouse Gin), Marlborough (Vavasour, Dashwood, Grove Mill, Boatshed Bay, Clifford Bay), and Central Otago (Mt Difficulty, Roaring Meg). Additional brands include Russian Jack, Goldwater, and The Pass. The portfolio is managed through a unified platform including Foley Cellars (online cellar door e-commerce), The Runholder (hospitality venue), Toast Martinborough (festival), and physical cellar doors at Mt Difficulty.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Te Kairanga Wines Martinborough winery brand focused on future-focused Pinot Noir winemaking while honouring its historic land. Award-winning Pinot Noir including Te Kairanga John Martin Pinot Noir 2017 (97 points, Decanter Best in Show 2019).
• Martinborough Vineyard Wines Martinborough winery brand home to the oldest vines in the region, producing handcrafted wines since 1980 with a continuous reputation for excellence.
• Vavasour Wines Awatere Valley, Marlborough winery brand producing Sauvignon Blanc and other wines of extraordinary elegance, perfume and texture. Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc 2017 was named Best in Show at Decanter World Wine Awards 2018.
• Grove Mill Wines Marlborough winery brand making wine with environmental sustainability for over 30 years. Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc 2018 was selected as British Airways First Class wine for 2019.
• Mt Difficulty Wines Bannockburn, Central Otago artisan winegrower committed to world-class Pinot Noir. Selected by Cathay Pacific for First Class service. Acquired by Foley Wines in January 2019.
• Roaring Meg Wines Central Otago wine brand reassuringly crafted by Mt Difficulty, producing contemporary and expressive wines capturing the attitude of Central Otago.
• Dashwood Wines Wairau Valley, Marlborough wine brand inspired by the natural beauty of coastlines and unique flora and fauna of New Zealand.
• Russian Jack Wines Wine brand forging its own path, originally from Latvia but honoured as a kiwi legend. Distributed by Lion NZ as part of the FFW portfolio.
• Boatshed Bay Wines Marlborough wine brand inspired by the coastal beauty of the Marlborough Sounds.
• The Pass Wines Wine brand positioned as a tale of two valleys.
• Clifford Bay Wines Awatere Valley, Marlborough wine brand where the Awatere River meets the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean.
• Goldwater Wines A New Zealand wine pioneer brand within the Foley Wines portfolio.
• Lighthouse Gin One of New Zealand's oldest craft gins, inspired by Cape Palliser Lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the North Island. Distilled at The Runholder in Martinborough and sold through the same distribution channels as the wine portfolio.
• Foley Cellars Online Wine Club The online cellar door of iconic handcrafted wines and gin from New Zealand's most acclaimed wine regions, delivered straight from the makers to the consumer's door. Offers exclusive case pricing and is complemented by the Foley Rewards loyalty programme.
• The Runholder Hospitality Venue Brand home for Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard and Lighthouse Gin in Martinborough, opened August 2023. Features a tasting room, cellar door, restaurant (100-person capacity), private dining, and distillery. Open Sunday-Thursday 11am-4pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm. Has welcomed over 50,000 visitors since opening.
• Mt Difficulty Cellar Door and Restaurant Cellar door and restaurant in Bannockburn (73 Felton Road) offering wine tastings and lunch with views of the dramatic rugged rock and thyme landscape. Open Wednesday-Sunday 10:30am-4:30pm. Achieved Gold Qualmark accreditation in 2023.
• Toast Martinborough Wine and Food Festival Annual wine and food festival held in Martinborough, acquired by Foley Wines in February 2024 to ensure the iconic festival remains relevant.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record case sales of 584,000 cases in FY2023, up 11.2%
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Zebra VineyardsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2021Conditional contract to purchase Zebra Flat Vineyard in Bendigo, Central Otago. 55.5 hectares including approximately 30.5 hectares of Pinot Noir and 12.5 hectares of bare land for future plantings. The vineyard will help secure high quality fruit supply for growing the Roaring Meg brand.
• Lion NZ (Beer, Spirits & Wine)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2018Strategic distribution partnership with Lion NZ for New Zealand market. Lion distributes the wider FFW portfolio including Vavasour, Te Kairanga, Dashwood alongside existing brands Martinborough Vineyards, Russian Jack, and Mt Difficulty. The initial partnership period is 10 years. Lion also holds a 3.7% shareholding in FFW as part of the Mt Difficulty acquisition.
• UK Distribution PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrong distribution partnerships in the UK delivering growth. Part of the company's international distribution strategy focused on premium branded products.
• Asia Distribution PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrong distribution partnerships in Asia delivering growth. The company has established routes to market for its premium portfolio brands in key Asian markets.
• Overseas Investment Office (OIO)coreOthersRequired regulatory approval for foreign investment transactions including the Mt Difficulty acquisition. The OIO approval process was a key condition for completing major acquisitions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Villa Maria Estate: Iconic NZ family-owned winery with multiple regions and premium positioning. One of NZ's most awarded wineries — directly comparable in portfolio breadth and segment.
• Nautilus Estate: Premium Marlborough wine producer with strong international distribution. Comparable in premium NZ Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir strategy.
• Delegat Group: Largest listed NZ wine producer (NZX:DGL) owning brands like Oyster Bay and Barossa Valley Estate. Direct peer in multi-region NZ wine production and global premium distribution.
• Craggy Range: Premium NZ multi-region winery focused on Hawke's Bay and Martinborough. Similar premium, multi-region, single-group-of-brands strategy with hospitality and DTC.

Broad incumbents

• Accolade Wines: Global wine company (Hardys, Banrock Station) with comparable multi-region portfolio aggregation and global distribution infrastructure.
• Constellation Brands: Large global wine/spirits company with comparable premium portfolio strategy and global retail relationships, though more diversified into beer/spirits.
• Pernod Ricard: Global wine and spirits giant owning Cloudy Bay (NZ Marlborough). Comparable in premium wine and gin category management and global distribution scale.
• Treasury Wine Estates: ASX-listed global wine conglomerate with premium portfolios across multiple regions. Comparable in multi-region premium wine strategy and global route-to-market focus.

Others

• Lion NZ: NZ's largest beverage company and Foley's strategic distribution partner (3.7% shareholder). Compares as a direct channel partner with parallel NZ alcohol beverage portfolio.

Regional players

• Australian Vintage: ASX-listed multi-region wine producer (McGuigan, Tempus Two). Comparable in multi-brand premium strategy across geographies, though primarily Australia-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foley-wines-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Foley Wines