Indevin New Zealand has acquired 100% of the shares of Villa Maria Estate Limited, for an undisclosed sum.
The sale includes Villa Maria’s Marlborough, Hawkes Bay and Auckland wineries, vineyards, supplier agreements, the flagship brand Villa Maria as well as Esk Valley, Vidal, Leftfield and Thornbury.
The completion of the deal follows Indevin entering into a conditional agreement in early August 2021 with Calibre Partners, the receivers of FFWL, and follows a nine month process after the parent company and sole shareholder of Villa Maria Estate [FFWL] was placed into receivership.
Adding Villa Maria to its stable was a ‘logical next step’ for Marlborough-based Indevin, said chairman Greg Tomlinson.
“The coming together of two successful New Zealand wine export businesses supports our vision to become the leading New Zealand global wine business, spearheaded by the Villa Maria brand. This collaboration will be significant for the New Zealand wine industry and we are delighted Villa Maria will remain in New Zealand ownership,’ he said.
Malcom McDougall, chairman of Villa Maria Estate, added: ‘Villa Maria is an iconic kiwi brand and Indevin is an established participant in the New Zealand wine industry – together the two businesses are a powerful combination and there are many competitive advantages that both sides bring to the table.’
Privately-owned Indevin said it had ‘some time ago’ identified that, in order to achieve its ambition of being a leading player in the New Zealand wine industry, acquiring a strong New Zealand wine brand would be a crucial step.
‘We had looked at a number of wine businesses with brands over the last few years, but none provided the strategic fit of Villa Maria. We are excited by the opportunities this collaboration offers,’ said Tomlinson.
‘Indevin’s business is built around holding and building value for New Zealand vineyards and growers. Our strong supply chain coupled with the strength and heritage of the Villa Maria brand will create a sustainable business for the future and grow value for the New Zealand wine industry.’
Villa Maria has 300 permanent employees and processes 30,000 tonnes of grapes through its wineries each year. In the UK, it is represented by Hatch Mansfield.
‘We have worked with Villa Maria since the inception of Hatch Mansfield in 1994 and together we have built it into the number one New Zealand brand in the UK,’ said Patrick McGrath MW, MD, Hatch Mansfield.
‘We look forward to working with the Indevin team as Villa Maria enters a new chapter and to continuing to build the brand.’
Indevin makes wines for wineries and retailers all over the world, has three wineries and controls supply from more than 3,000ha of vineyards in Marlborough, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.