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• From Concept to Awards - The Bluff Distillery Story

  • When
    21 Oct 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  Join us for an exclusive 45-minute Q&A session with Chris Fraser, Head Distiller and Co-founder of Bluff Distillery, as he shares the remarkable journey behind one of New Zealand's fastest-rising gin brands.

  In just over a year since launching their Bluff London Dry Gin in March 2024, Bluff Distillery has achieved extraordinary recognition, winning Best in Show at the 2024 Australian Gin Awards and Product of the Year 2025 from The UK Gin Guide Awards. Their bespoke bottle and distinctive spirit tell the story of "a place almost forgotten" while achieving far and wide distribution across multiple markets.

  Chris will share candid insights from their journey, covering everything from recipe development and brand storytelling to the challenges and rewards of creating custom packaging. This is a rare opportunity to learn from a distiller who has navigated the path from concept to international recognition in record time.

  Key Value You'll Gain: 

  • Practical guidance on custom bottle development - Learn the real challenges, costs, and considerations behind creating bespoke packaging that stands out on shelves 
  • Competition strategy insights - Discover how to position your products for award success and leverage recognition for business growth 
  • Distribution and market entry tactics - Understand how a new brand achieved widespread distribution and built credibility in a competitive market

  Open to all Distilled Spirits Aotearoa members. Chris welcomes questions on any aspect of the distilling journey that aren't commercially sensitive - from technical production details to marketing strategies and everything in between.

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• Cybersecurity & Privacy for NZ Distilleries

  • When
    14 Nov 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  Protecting your brand, your data, and your customers

  Cyber threats aren’t just a big business problem—and in today’s digital world, even small distilleries face real risks. Join us for a practical, Q&A-style webinar with cybersecurity experts Tim Adams (AllSystemsGo) and Ray Barber (Kaseya), where we’ll unpack what privacy and protection mean for New Zealand’s distilling industry.

  From POS systems to email marketing, automation to online sales—your digital touchpoints matter. We’ll explore:

  • Why cybersecurity is essential for distilleries of all sizes
  • The NZ Privacy Act 2020 and your legal obligations
  • Common security & privacy pitfalls and how to avoid them
  • Distillery-specific cyber risks and case studies
  • Practical tools and defences you can implement today

  Plus: A takeaway checklist and free resources to help you get started or strengthen what you already have.

  Bring your questions - big or small. Whether it’s operational tech, insurance, password practices or anything in between, we’ll make time to tackle what matters to you.

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• Engineering Made Simple: Get More Life and Performance from Your Equipment

  • When
    12 Feb 2026
  •  
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  Every piece of distillery equipment is an investment — and small decisions in design, commissioning, and maintenance can mean the difference between years of reliable service or costly downtime.

  In this session, we’ll skip the jargon and share simple, proven engineering practices to reduce total cost of ownership, extend asset life, and minimise unforeseen risks. From choosing the right equipment to commissioning new assets and selecting the most effective maintenance strategies, you’ll leave with practical tips you can apply straight away — no engineering degree required.

  Andrew Lewis studied Mechatronic Engineering at Canterbury University before joining Fonterra, where he spent eight years across multiple sites in roles spanning project management, commissioning, and reliability. A career highlight was leading the engineering side of commissioning a new $240 million mozzarella factory — while also discovering he could successfully work alongside his wife, Saskia, who was the technical lead. Today, Andrew and Saskia run Humdinger Gin, their distillery in Geraldine.

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