Hawke's Bay Winegrowers

What Hawke's Bay Winegrowers does

Hawke's Bay Winegrowers Association Inc. is a non-profit industry association incorporated in New Zealand in 2007 through the merger of the Hawke's Bay Grape Growers Association and Hawke's Bay Winemakers Ltd. It represents 100+ member wineries and grape growers across the Hawke's Bay region on New Zealand's North Island — the country's oldest wine region, where vines were first planted by French Missionaries in 1851. The association serves as the unified regional brand for an industry that spans 38 varietals across 25 soil types, produces more than 32 million bottles annually, and contributes over NZ$500 million to regional GDP. Hawke's Bay produces approximately 90% of New Zealand's Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, with 1,033 hectares planted to Chardonnay as a flagship variety.

The organization's core activities include industry advocacy (particularly on water rights via the TANK Plan Change 9 process and climate policy), marketing and promotional programs, educational workshops (Chardonnay Symposium, Red Wine Workshop, Export workshops), and trade and media visitor programs including the annual Melbourne Trade Tasting. It also operates signature consumer-facing events — the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction, Harvest Hawke's Bay Festival, and Urban Wine Walk — and supports wine tourism through cellar doors, bike trails, and winery restaurants. The association holds membership in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network (admitted 2023) and partners with international bodies including La Cite du Vin in Bordeaux and New Zealand Winegrowers nationally.

Revenue is generated primarily through membership fees (subscription/recurring) supplemented by event income, sponsorships, and grants. The association operates with a lean team of approximately 5 staff — Executive Officer Brent Linn plus Marketing/Communications and Administrator roles — and is governed by an 8-member elected Board of Directors led by Chair Sally Duncan. Recent strategic priorities include post-Cyclone Gabrielle (February 2023) recovery support, expanding international recognition through the Great Wine Capitals program, sustainability advocacy, and developing future industry talent through the Young Viticulturist, Young Winemaker, and Women in Wine programs.

Name

Hawke's Bay Winegrowers

Legal name

Hawke's Bay Winegrowers Association Inc.

Website

https://hawkesbaywine.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hawke's Bay Winegrowers Association Inc. is a non-profit industry body representing 100+ wineries in New Zealand's oldest wine region, providing advocacy, marketing, trade programs, and signature events like the Chardonnay Symposium and Hawke's Bay Wine Auction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Industry Association Services

NAICS

Wineries (31213), Grape Vineyards (111332)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets) (AFAGAJAJ)

Keywords

• Wine industry association
• Regional wine promotion
• Wine tourism marketing
• Viticulture advocacy
• Winery membership services

Headquarters

HQ city

Napier

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The Association generates revenue through membership fees from Hawke's Bay wine producers and grape growers. The association was originally established as the Hawke's Bay Grape Growers Association and Hawke's Bay Winemakers Ltd in the early 1980s, merging in 2007.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Hawke's Bay Winegrowers Association Inc. is a non-profit industry association representing 100+ member wineries and grape growers in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand's oldest wine region (vines planted from 1851). It provides industry advocacy, regional brand promotion, trade and media engagement, educational workshops, and event programming (including the Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium, Hawke's Bay Wine Auction, Urban Wine Walk, and Harvest Hawke's Bay Festival) to grow the visibility and commercial success of member producers.

Product overview

Hawke's Bay Winegrowers is an industry association representing over 100 member wineries in New Zealand's oldest wine region (established 1851). The organization operates as a unified regional brand rather than a traditional product company, offering a portfolio of programs including the annual Chardonnay Collection and regional Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium, the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction, trade/media visitor programs, educational workshops (Red Wine Workshop, Technical Chardonnay Workshop), Women in Wine initiatives, Young Viticulturist and Young Winemaker competitions, and participation in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network. The association provides advocacy services on water rights and environmental policy, member resources including brand kits and maps, and coordinates international promotional activities for the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Association Membership
• Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium
• Hawke's Bay Wine Auction
• Urban Wine Walk
• Harvest Hawke's Bay Festival
• Trade/Media Visitor Programme
• Educational and Technical Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• Over NZ$500 million contribution to regional GDP annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Great Wine Capitals Global NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2023, Hawke's Bay joined the Great Wine Capitals network alongside 11 other prestigious wine regions including Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Bilbao, Adelaide, and others. This partnership provides global recognition, promotional opportunities, and access to the international wine tourism community.
• La Cite du Vin, BordeauxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHawke's Bay Wine has secured a prestigious showcase for its wines at Bordeaux's La Cite du Vin, a renowned global wine institution. The partnership allows up to 20 Hawke's Bay wines to be featured in the museum's tasting room, reaching over 400,000 annual visitors.
• NZ WinegrowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNZ Winegrowers and HBWG co-host an annual program for international and domestic visitors, primarily media and trade buyers. HBWG provides regional tastings and overviews during these visits.
• Hawke's Bay TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHawke's Bay Tourism collaborated with Hawke's Bay Winegrowers in the successful bid for Great Wine Capitals recognition, working together to propel the region's global standing.
• Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (OWNZ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWNZ co-hosts the EcoVineyards regional workshop tour, including events in Hawke's Bay focused on functional biodiversity, vineyard and soil health.
• Bragato Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Association works with BRI on research initiatives including clonal trials and technical workshops. Braden Crosby from BRI is involved in knowledge transfer and engagement activities.
• Bayleys Hawke's Bay Wine AwardscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual wine awards celebrating Hawke's Bay viticulture heroes, recognizing excellence in winemaking across the region.
• Chardonnay Symposium PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partners include major sponsors like New Zealand Wine, Craggy Range, and Horticentre Trust. Associate and supporting partners provide additional support for the biennial Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Barossa Grape & Wine Association: Australian regional wine industry association representing Barossa Valley producers. Comparable as a fellow Great Wine Capitals member with a heritage-based brand, premium positioning, and tourism/event focus.
• Napa Valley Vintners: US regional wine industry trade association representing Napa Valley wineries. Highly comparable as a fellow Great Wine Capitals member that runs trade tastings, advocacy, and tourism programs for premium regional wineries.
• Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB): French regional wine industry body representing Bordeaux producers. Comparable as a fellow Great Wine Capitals member running global trade, education, and tourism programs for a prestige wine region.
• Oregon Wine Board: US state-level wine industry association representing Oregon wineries. Comparable as a regional association that runs research, education, trade programs, and consumer marketing for premium cool-climate wines.
• Wine Marlborough: Regional New Zealand wine industry association representing Marlborough wineries. Directly comparable as a fellow NZ regional wine body that promotes member wineries, runs trade and consumer programs, and advocates on water and environmental policy.
• Rioja Wine Council (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja): Spanish regional wine regulatory and promotional body for Rioja. Comparable as a fellow regional wine body that combines regulatory, marketing, and tourism functions on behalf of its member wineries.
• Central Otago Winegrowers: Regional New Zealand wine industry association for Central Otago. Comparable as a fellow NZ regional wine association promoting Pinot Noir-led producers via trade tastings, events, and tourism initiatives.

Broad incumbents

• New Zealand Winegrowers: National body for the New Zealand wine industry. Comparable as HBWG's national umbrella organisation; co-hosts trade programs with HBWG and provides broader advocacy and category-level marketing for NZ wine.
• Wines of South Africa (WOSA): National generic wine promotion body for South Africa. Comparable as a non-profit industry association that runs global trade marketing, education, and PR programs on behalf of member wineries.
• Wine Australia: Australian national statutory authority for the wine industry. Comparable as a non-profit generic wine body running market development, R&D, and trade programs analogous to those run by HBWG regionally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hawkesbaywine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/hawke-s-bay-wine-28b1361b4
• Instagraminstagram.com/hawkesbaywine
• Xx.com/hawkesbay_wine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Hawke's Bay Winegrowers