We Want To Leave The World In Really Good Shape

Yealands wine group is fundamentally committed to taking care of the planet, but it’s also about helping us indulge in a healthier way, says ceo tiffani graydon.

- Anne Majumdar

The term may have become a popular one, but Tiffani Graydon acknowledges sustainability can sometimes be reduced to a buzzword. “Sometimes I feel there’s a bit of an eye roll these days when people talk about sustainability because it has become a boardroom cliche,” admits the CEO of Yealands Wine Group. Fortunately, the company’s own commitment to producing great-quality wines that are kinder to the planet is far from contrived.

When Peter Yealands founded the company in New Zealand’s Marlborough region in 2008, it was with a clear vision to produce sustainable wine. “Everything in our business is fundamentally layered with that sustainability ethos – the fact that we care for the land, we care for the people, and we want to leave the world in really good shape for generations to come,” Tiffani tells The CEO Magazine. “We call it ‘grass to glass’ and the whole strategy is centred around ‘think boldly, tread lightly’. Pete was really thinking about it and putting it into practice well before many others, particularly in New Zealand.”

It is a vision that is shared by a growing number of consumers who are seeking to support brands that they can feel good about, particularly in Yealands’ key markets the UK and the US. Catering to this consumer need forms a major part of the company’s approach in these areas as well as addressing the yen for alcoholic beverages that are perceived as healthier.