Category: Regional Business
Winner: Austins and Co
Austins and Co thrives on family values and wants every customer to always feel welcomed as part of the Austin family.
The company has been making its award-winning wines since 1982 and through its contemporary and venturesome approach has seen steady growth and success.
The aim is to showcase enthusiasm for high quality in every sip of wine.
The company is run by Scott and Belinda Austin, second-generation owners who proudly employ 20 staff at their Sutherlands Creek Vineyard.
Austins and Co is the second largest wine producer in Geelong, producing more than 25,000 cases of wine, 90 per cent of which is grown and produced from the vineyard.
Primarily a wholesale business, the vineyard sells its wine in more than 2000 liquor stores, restaurants and bars under three labels – 6Ft6, Austins and Co, and Custom Collection.
The wines are also exported and sold in China and the USA.
Founder Richard Austin has coined the phrase “Pinot for the people” and the company’s mission, approach, and what drives it each day is to make wine for the people – wine they will love, can afford and want to share with loved ones.
The vision is be Australia’s leading SME wine producer, a strong team leading the way in sales, quality and innovation.
The company also sees itself as having a collaborative training facility to give back through education.