A significant investment from the KiwiSaver Booster fund will herald a new era for the Marlborough-based Awatere River Wine Company. Awatere River Wine Company founder and winemaker Louis Vavasour said the deal is a tremendous vote of confidence in the buoyant New Zealand wine industry.
“Booster has bought into my business plan and desire to push the boundaries, based on an alignment of values with its shareholders,” he said. “Its investment will help us achieve our goals of focussing on quality while continuing the established momentum of Awatere River and Waimea Estates in New Zealand and export markets.”
Under the terms of the investment, the Vavasour family retains principle ownership of Awatere River Wine Company with the Booster Tahi Limited Partnership (Booster’s investment vehicle for its KiwiSaver funds) taking a significant minority stake. The Booster Tahi Limited Partnership will own 100 per cent of Waimea Estates with Louis Vavasour the CEO of the overarching venture.
The Booster Tahi Limited Partnership was established to help Kiwis grow their businesses and manage their wealth. Booster focuses on sustainable, delivered income.
Louis Vavasour’s own family history in the Awatere Valley dates back to 1887 when his ancestors settled there. His parents planted the first grapes in the valley a century later and released their first vintage in 1989. Louis, considered a next-generation wine industry leader, founded the Awatere Valley Wine Company in 2007, producing sustainable, vegan, and award-winning wines.
