Zumwohl Means Medals

Upper Hutt-based Aotearoa Distillers has won a gold and silver medal for its Zumwohl schnapps at the World Spirits competition in San Francisco. German-born founder Ulf Huhrer said a trip home played a part in the decision to make schnapps here. “Generally most family occasions ended up with having a few schnapps at the end of the evening and I got a bit of a taste for it,” Huhrer said. The challenge became trying to buy a proper German schnapps in New Zealand. Zumwohl is pitched as a spirit for shots or cocktails that is available in natural, plum and feijoa flavours. The company is now in discussions with an Australian distributor for New South Wales area and is also looking at venture capital options.