Family-run businesses are often found in Tourism and Hospitality, from the "Mum & Dad" operations that have lasted generations, like Te Wairoa Buried Village and Air Milford, to those that have grown into massive enterprises, such as RealNZ and Southern Discoveries. 

Top Winery of New Zealand for 2023, Craggy Range, was purchased by the Peabody family in 1993 as a legacy for their family. Since then, fantastic efforts have been made to create both a sustainable vineyard and working environment.

To learn more about the family-owned winery, and how this impacts the workplace and recruitment decisions, Go with Tourism recently chatted to Marketing Manager David T Peabody, currently the only family member working in the day-to-day operations (his Grandfather is Chairman and father is Director).

David, please tell us about Craggy Range's unique family background:

Craggy Range was started by my grandparents, Terry and Mary Peabody, as a legacy to pass down to future generations of the Peabody family. It is in a 1000-year trust, so myself, my kids, my grandkids cannot sell Craggy Range. It will always remain in our family.

What are the pros and cons of a family-run business?

The pros of a family run business is that it is a part of our family, so everything we do is with care and with the long-term future in mind. You don’t want to pass down problems. If we take a shortcut now a later generation will have to pay the price, so we do everything properly now to ensure we leave the winery in a better position for our future generation than when we found it. Hiring great people plays a role in this too.

The cons that can come from working alongside family mean that debates can be a little bit heated and passions can run high, but there’s definitely more pros than cons.

Why is Craggy Range an appealing place to work?

I think Craggy Range is an appealing place to work because it is an internationally recognised brand and it is a family. Anyone who spends time here can see how close everyone is, and we all have the same vision to showcase New Zealand wine to the world. 

How does being a family-run operation impact employment decisions?

Employment decisions at Craggy Range are more personal because in a sense you are coming into our family. Plus, it’s a close-knit operation and a passion project for the Peabody’s, so we really take it seriously when we’re inviting people into our family.

View the Craggy Range case study:

Hear Laura's experience as an employee at Craggy Range:

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