By Rick VanSickle
A new wine bottling partnership between Niagara’s Newark Bottling Inc. and Niagara Custom Crush Studio is a “game changer” for wineries in Ontario.
The partnership brings “comprehensive services to the Ontario grape and wine industry,” the companies said in a joint news release. Newark Bottling Inc. and Niagara Custom Crush Studio joining forces offers a full suite of solutions, designed to meet full-scale needs from grape to bottle for wineries, according to the release.
The partnership came about after Newark, only one of three portable bottling lines operating in southern Ontario, sent a note to their clients that they were shutting down after their key technician left for the competing company (Hunter Bottling) and they couldn’t find a replacement. The news sent shockwaves throughout the wine industry. Most small to medium wineries rely on outside bottling for their wine portfolios and with only one company left, it would mean a scramble to get their wines bottled.
When Crush CEO Graham Rennie, below, got notice of Newark’s closing, he reached out to Newark president Ken Hunter and they quickly struck a partnership deal that will see the bottling line permanently anchored to The Crush, but still with the ability to travel, if needed
“This collaboration combines (Newark’s) established expertise in bottling, labelling, and packaging with Niagara Custom Crush Studio’s state-of-the-art winemaking and cellar services,” the news release said. “Together, we are now uniquely positioned to provide a seamless, integrated experience for wineries of all sizes.”
What the new partnership means for wineries and customers of The Crush:
• Complete lifecycle support: From winemaking and cellar management to bottling, labelling, and packaging, every stage of your production process can be tackled;
• Streamlined operations: Clients can have the convenience of a single point of contact for all production needs, simplifying shipping logistics and saving valuable time;
• Enhanced efficiency and quality: Benefit from the combined expertise and resources of two leading industry providers, ensuring top-quality results;
• Scalable solutions: Whether you’re a boutique winery or a large-scale producer, The Crush will offer flexible services tailored to your specific requirements.
The target date to be fully operational is mid-March when booking for the 2025 season will take place.
The new partnership is particularly comforting for Prince Edward County wineries, which relied heavily on Newark as that company was the only one willing to travel there. Rennie said the new arrangement will allow Newark to continue servicing wineries in The County.
Here are some of the benefits of the partnership, which Rennie called “a game changer for the winery and cidery industry.”
The strategic partnership between Newark and Niagara Custom Crush Studio) transforms Ontario’s wine and cider industry by:
• Creating Ontario’s first comprehensive grape-to-bottle solution including assistance with logistics, warehousing and multiple channel sales distribution under one roof, eliminating fragmentation between multiple service providers;
• Removing the need for substantial capital investment in production equipment, allowing wineries to focus resources on branding, marketing, and distribution;
• Pre-bottling stabilization and filtration to prevent refermentation;
• Consistent quality control standards throughout production;
• Elimination of cross-provider communication issues;
• Implementing comprehensive quality protocols across the entire production chain that deliver consistently superior products;
• Enabling wineries to efficiently scale operations in response to market demand without additional capital investments;
• Positioning Ontario wines to compete more effectively amid expanded alcohol distribution channels (big-box stores, grocery), potential reduction in provincial trade barriers and possible increased LCBO shelf space for Ontario wines
This is a great idea
As a small-lot winery already appreciating the support from Niagara Crush Studio, I very much welcome this development. Newark has bottled for me before and this Spring I have a need for another session. As soon as I heard the news about Newark closing down, I became concerned and started looking for an option even though I didn’t want to ship my finished wine somewhere else for bottling. Now, thanks to the quick action and strategic vision of Graham, I am now relaxed. Bravo