Southward Distilling

Southward Distilling is a local craft distillery on Cuba street in the heart of Wellington producing gin, vodka and soon whiskey.

Southward started as a whiskey fueled dream and led to a passion for distilling, Frankie the founder and distiller, wanted to create spirits that told a story. From the name being inspired by Frankie’s Grandpa’s boat, The Southward Ho, to the still being names after her grandma. It was about taking the idea of sharing a drink with someone you love and the memories that experience can create. Taking an approach to gin that considers different palettes and tastes, Southward is all about experiencing something familiar but a bit different.

Making gins in Kay, their 300L hybrid still, The Mountain Gin is bold and full and made to go with and compliment any tonic whether it be fever tree or Schweppes. Alternatively its sister gin, Wave, is a cocktail style gin that is more classic and dry with a twist of Ecklonia Seaweed used to add that dryness and hint of brine and salt. The Seaweed is even harvested from our south coast after storms when it washes up on the beach.

Each October we make our seasonal release of New Zealand Blood Orange Gin. They hand peel and juice every orange that goes into the gin to give it a beautiful bittersweet flavour.

You can visit Southward inside Heyday Brewery on Cuba Street and even have a flight of their in house gins which rotate seasonally.

They have now started production on Whiskey, but, don’t expect it any time soon. A blend of unique casks and a love of whiskey is sure to fuel something truly special to the Wellington Region.

Alexia Urban Winery

Alexia Urban Winery in Greytown is owned and operated by Jane Cooper and wife Lesley Reidy. Jane makes the wine while Lesley is the cellar hand and general winery dogsbody.

Alexia represents the strength and beauty of their family matriarchy - the quiet, understated women who established their family values and held them together.

The couple built the winery from the ground up with the goal of showcasing a range of new wines, varieties and styles in a setting that allows visitors to experience the whole winemaking process up close.

After years of making wine for others, opening a winery in their home town was an opportunity to make wines that are personal to them, while being rich in character, full of texture, and delicious to drink.

Grapes are sourced from grower partners Julie Collins and Simon Dawson’s Manuka Flats vineyard in West Taratahi, north of Carterton. From there everything is done on-site at Alexia.

The winery produces two wine ranges: Alexia - which includes Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, and Tangent by Alexia - lo-fi wines made in tiny quantities using varieties not widely grown in New Zealand - Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Gamay.

Alexia is on West Street in Greytown, tucked in behind the lawnmower shop, one street back from the Main Road and is open Fri – Sun between October – March.

Honeysticks

Honeysticks is a New Zealand crayon company best known for their sustainability and use of 100% natural ingredients. Their crayons are made from pure New Zealand beeswax and are suitable for children of all ages.

Honeysticks took off when the world went into lockdown due to COVID-19. As people spent more time at home, Honeysticks started to notice a rise in demand from countries all over the world. They are now one of the top results when you search 'natural crayons' on Amazon.

Honeysticks are very focused on being better for both the planet and for the kids who use their product. They don't use any plastic in the production of their crayons and all their packaging is recyclable and reusable. Although they do not recommend eating their crayons, the ingredients they use meet food grade standards so will not be harmful to your children in anyway.

The beeswax in the crayons gives them a wonderful honey-scent and they are made to be big so they are easier for little children to use and harder for them to break. All Honeysticks' products are made right here in New Zealand.

Dicey Wines

Dicey Wines was started by two brothers in Bannockburn, Central Otago. Bannockburn is not an easy place to grow vines, with the winds, frost, bitter cold & dry heat. The land is unforgiving, and the wines express that struggle.

The two brothers, James and Matt Dicey, have made sure the wines tell a story of the region at the time it was made, the colours on the bottles representing the seasons. The elements needed to craft a Dicey wine are the vineyards plus the heat, rain and wind. The amounts of these vary from year to year, so each year the wines tell a different story of the region. The grapes endure the fury of nature and then are harvested by hand.

Each vineyard is unique. They have three: Swansong, Black Rabbit and Inlet. Swansong is steep - the vines 'clawing their way along the terraces of eroded gravel and clay'. Black Rabbit sits on ancient bedrock with vines nestled into windblown soil. Inlet's vines drape over a terrace of deep river gravel.

The Dicey Pinot Noir has aromas of dark berry, savoury & floral. The Dicey Chenin Blanc has aromas of kumquat, stone fruit and floral. You can find both of these wines in our Wine Beer & Spirits stores and online.

Mahi Wines

The Mahi winery is nestled into the escarpment that goes down a decent length of the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, with two caves going back into the earth to keep the barrels and winery cool.

Started in 2001 by Brian and Nicola Bicknell after they had made wine in various countries the idea was to show the diversity and depth of Marlborough by combining traditional hands-off winemaking techniques with some special vineyards.

Using a lot of hand-picking, whole cluster pressing, seasoned French barrels and natural yeast ferments the aim is to mess with the wines as little as possible so that the vineyards are the heroes.

An example would be the Mahi Chardonnay in which all the fruit from three vineyards is hand-picked before going over the sorting table at the winery. The whole bunches are then put into the press so that the juice does not sit with the skins and this juice goes straight to barrel with high solids, they do not let the juice settle. It is then left to sit and after about eight days the natural yeast from the vineyard do the ferment, adding depth, complexity and texture to the wine. After 11 months the wine is carefully blended and as it has been handled so gently no protein finings are used, so all of their whites are suitable for vegans. The wines are held for six months in bottle so that they are integrated and ready to drink on release.

The Sauvignon Blanc is complex with a small amount of Semillon, 39% wild yeast, 20% barrel and it rests for nine months on yeast lees, again adding texture and length. Made with love it is totally dry and vegan friendly, a Sauvignon with character.

Very much a family company with Max, Nicola and Brian’s son, returning soon after Covid hit from a winery in New York to help in the winery and the markets.

Lewis Farms

Lewis Farms strawberries are grown lovingly in the Horowhenua by Cam and Catherine Lewis. Bounded by the mighty Tararua Ranges to the east and the Tasman Sea to the west, the location of Lewis Farms and the corresponding temperate climate is what sets their produce apart from the rest.

They grow their strawberries in poly-tunnels utilising hydroponic technology, this provides an extended growing season from September to  May – with a small amount into the Winter months. They pick their strawberries daily to ensure they are perfectly ripe with superior flavour.

Their strawberries have a very sweet and intense flavour profile. They grow varieties specifically suited for tunnels and use a carefully tailored fertiliser and organic seaweed programme designed to give the plants precisely what they require for fruiting.

Lewis Farms is also the home of Tendertips Asparagus, which is sold in Moore Wilson's Fresh Markets when in season.

You will find Lewis Farms strawberries in all Fresh Markets.

Grater Goods

Grater Goods is a vegan butchery and deli/cafe based in Christchurch, owned by Flip Grater.

They produce vegan meat alternatives such as sausages, mince and pastrami, and vegan dips/spreads, including mushroom pate and faux gras made from a range of beans, wheat proteins and natural products, as well as dairy free cheeses.

Flip, a long time vegan, and her husband Youssef started their business after moving to Christchurch from Paris. Their ethos is to encourage everyone to eat more plant-based food by creating alternatives that everyone will enjoy, especially meat eaters.

Moore Wilson's Fresh Market stock the following:

Chch Chorizo - A delicious, medium spicy chorizo. Great eaten raw on platters and in sandwiches, crispy when fried, great thrown in soups and rice as a spicy protein boost

Plant Pastrami - Sweet, Smokey Pastrami-spiced 'Corned Beef' Seitan. Amazing in sandwiches - makes a great vegan reuben!

Woodhaven Gardens

Since its inception Woodhaven has witnessed many industry based changes from the cessation of the auction system, to the introduction of quality assurance programs such as New Zealand Gap. Their growing practices have also changed dramatically. Many a night in summer was spent hand watering plants from a trailer mounted tank, now they irrigate via automated irrigation systems. Planting was all done by hand but is now done via cell transplanting, there has also been major advances in integrated pest management and how crops are produced allowing us to achieve healthier products and more sustainable production.

One of the keys to the farm’s success has been the ability to adapt and in some cases pre-empt these changes. 42 years on Woodhaven Gardens is still very much a family owned and operated business, with John’s daughter Emma being involved in the day to day running, and son Jay leading special projects. Woodhaven Gardens has a strong sense of its own history, but with an even stronger focus on the future.

You can find various products grown by Woodhaven at Moore Wilson's Fresh Market, including lettuce, spinach, silverbeet, celery and radish.

Elysian Foods

Elysian Foods is a small, family-run business based in Wellington’s Miramar peninsula that produce Mediterranean delights in small, handcrafted batches and source fresh, local ingredients wherever possible!

Elysian Foods was established in 2000 by Basil and Martha Yiannoutsous, working out of their well-known Deli in Miramar. Due to the high demand for Basil’s Taramasalata, he began making it in larger batches and distributing it to supermarkets and delis around the country. The Elysian range of handcrafted products now includes Taramasalata, Elaiasalata, Tzatziki and Marinated Olives.

In 2017 Basil and Martha sold the business to the new owner, Toby Green. Elysian Foods moved up the road (Park Road in Miramar, that is) into a bigger space with a brand new production kitchen and warehouse.

Here at Moore Wilson's we stock their Sugar Almonds, Chilli Marinated Olives, Mixed Marinated Olives, Pitted Green Olives, Taramasalata, Elaiasalata and Tzatziki.

Aoraki Salmon

Their Freshwater King salmon thrive in the fast glacial flows that surround Aoraki, Mt Cook – New Zealand’s highest mountain. This environment creates a fish with a light, clean taste and a delicate texture.

The remote and wild place in which they work challenges them to find new ways, solving problems to enhance the outcome.  From the breeding programmes at their hatcheries, to their farms and smokehouse, they patiently attend to every stage.  This allows them to provide traceability and ensure full health and welfare throughout.

At their smokehouse, they take their time to bring out the natural flavour of their salmon and not overpower it. Crafting a smoked salmon that is lighter, purer; a taste truly connected to our place.

Their farms meet the highest level of industry Best Practice standards. Their fish are fed a wholesome diet essentially made up of proteins, oils, grains and minerals. Their feed supplier has reduced reliance on wild caught fish to ensure they are not taking fish from our oceans to provide aquaculture feed.

They operate a hatchery located within the Issac Conservation Area, near Christchurch. The hatchery is spring fed from the Selwyn River flowing deep in the Canterbury alluvial aquifers. Our salmon are then grown in the glacier-fed waters of the hydro-canals in the Mackenzie Country, not far from Twizel.

You can find a range of Aoraki Salmon products from Moore Wilson's in the Fresh Market and Food Service department.