Australian winemaker Ben Haines wants to cut out the middle man
Winemaker Ben Haines, who has joined Hong Kong-based food distributor To-Plate as head beverage curator, is on a mission to get small producers “in front of big clients” and “weed out” intermediaries. Joyce Yip reports.
Australian winemaker Ben Haines is dipping his toe in the Hong Kong market as the head beverage curator for food distribution company To-Plate – known for being one of the first to export Australian truffles to the European market.
Haines is bringing wines from his eponymous Adelaide Hills winery, with his Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Roussanne on the list. He also intends to exclusively bring labels such as Tyler Winery and Lieu Dit Winery from Santa Barbara; Boschkloof Wines from South Africa; as well as Tasmania’s Haddow + Dineen Wine and Dr. Edge to Hong Kong through To-Plate. Also included in his drinks’ portfolio are Australian spirits Beachtree Distilling Co. and Tasmania’s Bruny Island Beer Co., all tentatively set to launch in Hong Kong by September.
Since June, To-Plate has been showcasing its latest drinks portfolio with its 2025 truffle season to existing customers in Hong Kong. Restaurants include Australian celebrity chef Shane Osborne’s Servo; one-Michelin starred Tuber Umberto Bombana and Louise; as well as two-Michelin starred Octavium. Since early July, Beachtree Distilling Co.’s spirits have been available for sale at HK Liquor Store, an online and bricks-and-mortar drinks shop in the city.
The feedback so far, Haines says, has been positive.
“We have to be realistic about the fact that we’re up against big companies, big money and big producers in the world of wines that are so readily available in Hong Kong,” he said. “The brands we bring give great quality and represent value in their own way; there’s a strong focus on organic, biodynamic sustainability.”
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Haines added that there’s “no [marketing or distribution] strategy, explicitly”. However, his drinks programme will follow To-Plate’s tactics of storytelling through personal relationships with customers and trusted word of mouth.
He hopes that his direct-from-distributor model can go some way to rectify plummeting alcohol sales, a downward global trend right now, essentially winning clients by “weeding out the intermediaries in the supply chain”, bringing “authenticity”, and “giving small producers the opportunity to get in front of big clients”.
Haines said the portfolio will be price sensitive, offering a product range of HK$150 per bottle to HK$300. He and To-Plate will also be producing a new, entry-level wine – set to be priced under HK$100 per bottle – under the Ben Haines umbrella to drive volume sales.
“The grapes will be planted in the certified, biodynamic vineyards down in the limestone coast of Adelaide. We’re set to make 1,000 cases of each expression with attractive pricing, perfect for casual dining and wine bars. Right now, we have Pinot Gris and Shiraz, following from 2025 vintages of Fianco and Prosecco varieties. They’ll be vibrant, minimal intervention, 12 months on lees in the tank before bottling.”
“Wines have sort of lost its way, getting bogged down in snobbery and details. I think there is a time and place for that, we need to respect the consumer; but wine can also be all these other things that don’t have to be cerebral and complicated,” he says.
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