Te Whare Rā shifts to Federal Merchants

Te Whare Rā owners Anna and Jason Flowerday have announced that they will be moving from Lion NZ to Federal Merchants for the national New Zealand distribution of their wines from 1 July 2024.

“We would like to thank the whole team at Lion for all the love and care they have shown our brand over the last 20 years,” they said. “That valuable partnership has helped deliver a great presence for our wines in the domestic market.”

The Flowerdays noted that the move is no reflection on Lion NZ. “We have always felt like part of the family at Lion and so we are sad to leave, but this change cements our strategy for the future of our wines in the New Zealand market.”

The new distribution with Federal Merchants will focus on growing off-premise ranging and presence in the on-premise trade.

Michael Morton MD of Federal Merchants said the company is excited to be working with the Flowerdays and their wines. “It is such an iconic Marlborough brand, so it’s a real privilege for our whole team at Federal to bring their wines into our portfolio. The addition of Te Whare Rā is part of our long-term strategy to cater to the growing demand for premium and to provide all our customers with an amazing selection of world-class wines.

“As a 100% Kiwi-owned business we are absolutely committed to the future of the on-premise sector and the addition of Te Whare Rā to our multi-beverage portfolio of market-leading brands helps us support our customers’ needs better than ever.”