A local winery and event vendor will be teaming up for environmental efficiency and user experience.
40 Knots Winery and Relay Event Rentals will be completing the merger on Apr. 1 with Relay moving its operations to 40 Knots.
The winery is one of only two businesses in Canada to get platinum status for Sustainability Tourism 2030. They say bringing the two businesses together will help them further achieve environmental goals.
“We focus on three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic and social,” said Layne Robert Craig, owner of 40 Knots. “This merger fits our goals by creating efficiencies economically and emerging as a larger employer committed to our community and committed to environmental sustainability.”
Because the two businesses will be merging, keeping their status will continue to be a priority. Having most of the rentals on-site will allow for less waste and an improvement for when 40 Knots is critiqued again.
“The bonus with rentals like dishes etc is that you’re not throwing paper plates and styrofoam and paper plates from events into the landfill,” said Relay Event Planning owner Coleen Anderson. “We’ve got the goods that are being reused constantly.”
They also say the merger will add to the guest experience.
Relay has been in the valley for about 12 years and began working with 40 Knots during the pandemic. With business beginning to return, the two companies decided to merge as an improvement to both their businesses.
“Putting it all together, it just kind of made sense to merge,” said Anderson.
Anderson said being able to keep staffing is also a big bonus as the two companies will be merging resources.
40 Knots says Anderson’s client base and location along with company goals align well with the business and they say more ups than downs with partnering.
“We’re able to retain her employees so her sustainability plan and keeping it all local really fit with our sustainability plan as well,” said Brenda Hetman-Craig, owner of 40 Knots. “It helps us ensure that we’re remaining local and sustaining local workers.”
The merger will be celebrated with a ‘Fling before the Ring’ contest for a couple. It will be an upscale style of a bridal shower or a stag stakeout. The event will also have one on one service in a VIP area where anyone can come.
The contest will be put out on the 40 Knots Facebook page, winners will be announced on May 1.