Family-owned brewery born from Christchurch earthquake destruction
Alasdair Cassels literally built his brewery from rubble.
The Christchurch entrepreneur and principal owner of Cassels Brewery Company was interviewing a chef for a job on February 22, 2011, when the ground and walls began shaking violently.
He, son Zak Cassels and son-in-law Joe Shanks quickly raced to what was then a small, makeshift brewery at The Tannery site in Woolston. They arrived to see the air clouded with dust, buildings half fallen over and every piece of brewing equipment damaged beyond repair.
Despite losing their homes and having no operational base to run their business from, the family saw the Canterbury earthquakes as an opportunity for growth.
“We licked our wounds for a day or two and then got to work,” Alasdair Cassels said.
Read more of the Cassels story by clicking the link below.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
53.8% Human-centred experience and communication
-
14.1% Critical thinking
-
29.4% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.7% Other - I will share below!
Addictive Eaters Anonymous
Monthly AEA Web Events
The AEA Web Event is a monthly online meeting where AEA members from all over the world come together to share their experience, strength and hope. Three members speak for 10 minutes each, followed by member sharing.
ALL NEWCOMERS WELCOME.
Loading…
