Westend Estate Wines is a dynamic family owned Australian company which was established by Francesco and Elizabeth Calabria, in the Riverina in 1945. The newly arrived migrants from Italy purchased a five acre block of land at the western end of the township of Griffith. Three generations and 65 years later Westend Estate Wines, one of Australia’s most enthusiastic family owned wineries, has grown in size and stature. Westend embodies all that has made the Australian wine success story the envy of winemakers around the world. Today the company is managed by their son, William Calabria, his wife, Lena and their children. Westend Estate’s motto Primus Inter Pares: ‘First among equals’ underpins everything the company represents, as the Calabria family is deeply committed to the business and have a strong passion for wine.
Andrew Calabria, Sales and Marketing Manager, shares his insights on running a successful business, the importance of being a member of NSW Business Chamber and what keeps him awake at night…
What recent business achievements, successes or wins have helped grow your business or raised your profile locally, nationally or overseas?
Westend Estate Wines has been awarded over 40 wine trophies since 2000 at National and Regional Wine Shows across Australia and internationally.
In the last two years we have been fortunate to receive many awards including the 2009 NSW Business Chamber’s Exporter of the Year award and Employees Choice Award; NSW Agribusiness Exporter of the Year; and the Family Business of the Year award in 2009 and 2010. Other awards we have received include the 2010 NSW Export Finalist in the 2010 NSW Premier’s Export Awards, the Best Small Winery Finalist in the Australian Liquor Industry Awards 2010, and the Most Successful Exhibitor of Local Fruit at the 2010 Riverina Wine Show. Our individual wines have also received prestigious awards and our winery was rated as a 4.5 Star in James Halliday’s The Wine Companion.
Each and every one of these awards has been extremely important because they have not only raised our company’s profile locally, nationally and internationally, highlighting Westend Estate’s commitment and passion to wine and the wine industry, but it also sets a benchmark against other industries.
What NSW Business Chamber services or products have you used and how have these helped your business?
We make good use of our local NSW Business Chamber representative, Ben Foley. Ben has been great in telling us what is available and also keeping us up to date with our compliance. I believe that being in a rural area it is important to have a voice and by NSW Business Chamber giving us Ben as a representative it gives us that voice and allows us to be heard in the city areas. This is positive, because without him I believe we would get lost.
How has your membership of NSW Business Chamber enhanced your business activities?
Membership has certainly helped to stay in touch with what is happening in all industries. This has provided us with great information so we could handle our growth. NSW Business Chamber also advised on how to transform our family business of three family members into a medium sized company that now employs over 60 people. It is tough when the business grows and assistance, support and knowledge, like that provided through NSW Business Chamber, are great assets.
Is there anything in the business world that is keeping you awake at night?
There are several issues keeping us awake at night. The main issues are the Aussie dollar, the GFC and the slump of the wine industry. Although these are ongoing concerns we are a stable family business not looking for overnight success. We look to the future and will adapt when opportunities arise.
Is there anything in the business world that is exciting you?
China - to see an old country like this develop in so many ways is interesting. As an Australian I think it is important that we play our cards right and realise that we should not be competing with each other (as Aussies) because there are a lot of foreign competitors who would love to squash us all. Let’s play smart and look at the long term goal.
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