Yealands appoints Adrian Garforth MW as CEO

New Zealand’s Yealands Wine Group has announced the appointment of Adrian Garforth MW as its new CEO.

New Yealands Wine Group CEO Adrian Garforth MW

Garforth replaces Jason Judkins, who had led the company for the previous nine years.

Commenting on his appointment, company founder Peter Yealand said: “It was always going to be a challenge replacing someone of Jason’s calibre, however Adrian brings with him a wealth of international business development experience in addition to his globally recognised wine qualifications.”

Garforth has previously worked with Yealands in Europe on a consultancy basis, in addition to working in global wine importation and distribution, consulting to UK restaurants and developing wine education programmes.

Garforth was admitted to the Master of Wine Institute in 1993. He is currently vice chairman of the institute and is due to become its chairman in 2018.

“I am delighted to be working alongside Peter and his team – the scale of their achievements in their short existence is extremely impressive and their philosophy of producing world-class wines sustainably is clearly gaining cut-through in the market,” he said.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of expanding the distribution network further.”

Garforth will be based in the Yealands Auckland Commercial Office, but will spend a large portion of his time internationally and across the company’s Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough wineries.

Yealands Wine Group was formed in September 2011 when Peter Yealand’s Yealands Estate acquired the Hawke’s Bay winery Crossroads and successful Marlborough brand The Crossings.

Last year Yealands put its Crossroads winery up for sale as it sought to consolidate its winemaking operations into Marlborough.

In October last year Yealands unveiled New Zealand’s largest solar panel installation at its vineyard in Marlborough, reinforcing its claim to be the most sustainable winery in the world.

The combined entity is now one of the largest wine companies in New Zealand, with a global reach of more than 85 international markets.