30th November 2004
Grove Mill flies high with Japanese airline ANA
The New Zealand Wine Company has won a major contract with the Japanese airline All Nippon Airlines (ANA).
ANA was established in 1952. It is one the largest airline carriers operating in and out of Japan and employs more than
12,000 people. The contract will see Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc included on the wine list for ANA's First and Business
Class passengers.
" Having our Marlborough Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc served on such a major international airline is a significant
achievement both in terms of exposure for our brand and for Marlborough as well as the volume of opportunity it
provides," says New Zealand Wine Company CEO Rob White
"We are lucky to have a very good distributor in Japan, Pieroth, and without their help we probably wouldn't have been
so fortunate," acknowledged Mr White. Grove Mill was established in Marlborough in 1988 by a dedicated group of local
growers and wine enthusiasts. Their mission was to make premium quality varietal wines that fully captured the delicious
and unique intensity of Marlborough grapes.
Since that time, Grove Mill has established a worldwide reputation for distinctive wines that are full flavoured,
food-friendly, elegant and well balanced. It was this reputation that brought Grove Mill to the attention of the highly
quality-conscious Japanese airline. Now, with this latest deal, the company has added future visibility on the
international stage. Grove Mill's philosophy is about producing high quality wines with minimal environmental impact to
the local environment.
"Our commitment to this philosophy has been the development of a two hectare wetland on the Waihopai Valley property,
and it is this wetland that has provided the inspiration for the frog and flax that are the Grove Mill brand symbols."
The frog is the ultimate indicator of environmental quality due to its semi permeable skin. This frog is disappearing
worldwide due to environment modification and pollution.
"Our symbol and philosophy is therefore something that can be appreciated the world over just like our wines,"said Mr
White.
ENDS