A Tauranga craft distillery is set for global expansion after its whey-based gin was judged the highest-rated gin at one of the world’s leading international spirits competitions in London, prompting a surge in international enquiries from consumers and distributors.
The win also coincides with the signing of the New Zealand-India free trade agreement, with the company now in discussions with a major Indian retail chain as it looks to enter one of the world’s fastest-growing premium gin markets.
Clarity Distilling Company’s Clarity Navy Gin, which is made using ethanol derived from grass-fed New Zealand dairy whey, has just been awarded 99 points and a Gold Outstanding medal at the 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition.
The Tauranga-made spirit was the highest-scoring gin entered in this year’s competition.
Co-founder George White says the result has created a potential pathway for the company to move from a small New Zealand craft producer into a multimillion-dollar export business.
“We have had enquiries go through the roof almost overnight. People in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia are contacting us directly asking where they can buy the product, and we are having to explain that we are not exporting yet. That tells us there is real demand if we can put the right distribution in place and a window to capitalise on this momentum if we can move quickly.
“For a small New Zealand producer to be competing against some of the most established spirits brands in the world and come out with this level of recognition is a significant moment for us.”
The win follows a series of major international and local awards for the Bay of Plenty producer, including Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Clarity Dry Gin, Gin of the Year and Spirit of the Year New Zealand at the 2026 London Spirits Competition for Clarity Navy Gin, Best London Dry Gin at the New Zealand Spirits Awards and Distillery of the Year at the 2025 Small Batch New Zealand Gin Awards.
White says one of the company’s key differences is its use of whey-based ethanol, produced from a natural by-product of grass-fed New Zealand dairy.
The alcohol base is sourced from regional suppliers and comes from the production of ethanol from casein whey, a by-product of milk processing. The whey contains lactose, or milk sugar, which is fermented in an anaerobic process before the ethanol is recovered through distillation and concentrated.
While most ethanol used in spirits is traditionally made from molasses, cane sugar or grain, White says its operation is one of the few in the world where casein whey is used as the feedstock for ethanol production.
He says the whey-based ethanol gives them a distinctive production story that is increasingly valuable in premium export markets.
“The locally sourced whey in our base spirit gives the gin a texture and softness that people notice, changing the mouth-feel of the product and giving us a point of difference in markets such as the United States, where the grass-fed New Zealand dairy story is already well understood and highly regarded.
“Most gin globally is built on a grain or sugar-based spirit. We are starting from a very different raw material, and we think that is one of the reasons international judges are responding so strongly to the product.”
“New Zealand has spent decades building a reputation around grass-fed dairy and clean food production. We are taking that same story into premium spirits,” he says.
White says the US market presents a major opportunity for Clarity because while spirits continue to command a large share of American alcohol sales, gin remains less developed as a premium category than whiskey, tequila and vodka.
“That creates an opening for differentiated products with a clear point of origin. For us, the combination of New Zealand provenance, grass-fed whey-based ethanol and international award recognition gives us a story that is very different from what US consumers usually see in gin,” he says.
The company’s distilling approach also differs from many commercial gin producers because it individually distils each botanical before blending the final spirit. White says the method allows greater control over flavour, balance and consistency, while still being scalable if export orders are secured.
White says the company has already been approached by India-based importers/distributors, including a Mumbai retailer with more than 70 stores.
“India is a huge opportunity it is the fastest growing spirit market in the world and the FTA has definitely helped open the door to a consumer base we may previously struggled to access. We are talking about a market where one city can be several times the size of New Zealand’s entire population.
“The trade agreement has created momentum and confidence around New Zealand products entering India, we are hoping we can be part of that wave.”
White says any significant export deal would have flow-on benefits for the Bay of Plenty, including the need to take on new staff for production and logistics.
“Right now we are operating at only about five percent of our capacity so we are able to scale quickly if we can secure the right distribution agreement”.
Co-founder Stephanie Downer says the business has been built by hand from the start, including the product presentation and label artwork.
She says export growth would allow the company to move from a two-person founder-led operation into a larger regional manufacturing business.
“George and I are involved in every part of the process at the moment. We distil, bottle, label, pack orders and send them out ourselves,” she says.
The company’s domestic footprint has also grown, with its products now stocked through a range of online retailers, bars, restaurants and liquor stores across New Zealand.
White says the business has seen steady growth despite difficult trading conditions for premium discretionary products, but international markets are increasingly important because gin demand is seasonal in New Zealand.
“The New Zealand market is important to us, but it is small and seasonal. We want to expand into the northern hemisphere markets as well. When it is winter here, it is summer there, and that gives us the ability to smooth out demand across the year.”
Downer says the latest award is less about a single medal and more about proving that a young New Zealand manufacturer can compete with the world’s best.
“We started as a small Tauranga distillery and in three years we have achieved recognition across San Francisco, London and the International Wine and Spirit Competition.
“The challenge now is to leverage this international recognition and build Clarity into a New Zealand export success story that creates jobs, drives regional growth and takes Bay of Plenty craft spirits to the world,” she says.