Hardy shines in Constellation's global wine market

摘要

The Hardy name is one of the most enduring in the Australian wine business. Beginning as the small, family-owned Thomas Hardy & Sons, its growth over the years has been through a series of strategic mergers and acquisitions, gathering pace through the late 1970s and 80s to culminate in the 1992 merger with the Berri Renmano group which created BRL Hardy, Australia's second largest wine company. When, in 2003, BRL Hardy became part of the US-owned international beverage alcohol giant, Constellation Brands Inc., the newly expanded Constellation Wines Division was formed, creating the largest wine company in the world. Since then, the renamed Hardy Wine Company has played a significant role in Constellation Wine's management and strategic initiatives. One person who has been right there for the Hardy journey is Jim Northey. He first came on board as Chief Chemist some 25 years ago and has since held management roles in production, research and development, site management, environmental management, packaging and more. His initial interest in wine - apart from as a consumer - was sparked while teaching microbiology to winemaking students at South Australia's then Roseworthy Agricultural College (now part of The University of Adelaide) in the late 1970s. His science qualifications, coupled with those in business administration, meant he was instantly at home in a world in which the two disciplines meet. Certainly, he says, it has been an evolution, in terms both of the industry itself and the company he works for.