Cheers! Wine industry wellness week launched

Module Overview

Spy Valley wines has a lot to celebrate after its “Taco Tuesday” event nabbed first place at the inaugural Marlborough Wine Industry Wellness Week competition. 

A growing need to focus on the wellbeing of workers in the wine industry was the driving force behind the new initiative, which highlighted what companies are doing to look after their staff. 

The wellness week was held from 8–12 May and businesses were invited to share the things they do, big or small, to promote the wellbeing of their workers. 

Wine Marlborough advocacy manager Nicci Armour says the sector has been cognisant for a while of the need to promote the importance of wellbeing, given the high-pressure nature of the industry. 

“It’s a seasonal industry, which has a lot of highs and lows and there’s a lot of pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic created a lot of uncertainty, so we wanted to do something to reset and help the industry,” Nicci says. 

Creating an industry-wide conversation about wellbeing was a driving factor behind the wellness week. 

“The wellness week was a chance for businesses to showcase and share on social media what they’ve been doing to promote wellbeing, not just during the wellness week, but all year round.” 

Nicci says they also wanted to see how businesses were incorporating the Five Ways to Wellbeing (connecting, being active, taking notice, giving and learning) into their wellbeing initiatives. 

“We knew there were different wellness initiatives happening in people’s businesses and we wanted to shine a spotlight on them and share them so others could get ideas to help their own wellbeing initiatives.” 

Spy Valley takes out top prize 

Spy Valley came out tops winning the Marlborough Wine Industry Workplace Wellbeing Impact Award for its Taco Tuesday event that took place in the wake of harvest earlier this year. 

Nicci says Taco Tuesday was a great example of a simple idea that was a huge hit with staff, and it incorporated several of the Five Ways to Wellbeing. 

The whole Spy Valley team connected over a delicious Mexican feast and had an exclusive preview of the 2023 vintage straight from the tanks and barrels, she says.  

“The level of inclusivity and the community building aspect of it was just awesome.” 

Spy Valley also runs other wellbeing initiatives such as yoga classes, touch tournaments and cricket matches for staff. 

Nicci says the last few years have been challenging with COVID-19. 

“There just wasn’t any space to take a break and reflect. There has been some uncertainty in the supply chain, but more recently the weather’s been great, the borders are open, and people are feeling positive again. 

“We have a good supply of permanent and seasonal staff and there is a demand for our iconic Sauvignon Blanc,” she says. 

Meanwhile, Yealands was recognised for its leadership in the wellness space by receiving the Marlborough Wine Industry Workplace Wellbeing Leadership Award. 

Partnership with Farmstrong invaluable 

Wine Marlborough partnered with Farmstrong to help get the wellness week up and running and make it a success. 

“We shared Farmstrong’s resources, key information and shared tips from Farmstrong Ambassador Sam Whitelock about how to look after your wellbeing,” Nicci says. 

“We don’t have expertise in the wellbeing space so being able to partner with Farmstrong, who has that knowledge and expertise, was invaluable.” 

Farmstrong was also on the judging panel, to help choose the winners. 

Nicci says the wellness week generated a lot of interest and engagement and people are still taking about it. 

“We will definitely be doing it again next year and really hope to continue to grow and improve it.”