NZ Cup and Show Week: Major sponsor signed to help Canterbury A & P Assn pay back $1m loan

NZ Herald

29 Sep, 2022 04:00 PM3 mins to read

There will be evening entertainment at the new Cassels Brewery Baabaa Bar for the first time at the NZ Show. Photo / Supplied

The Canterbury A and P Association has signed iconic Canterbury beer brewer, Cassels Brewery, as the anchor sponsor for the show grounds.

The deal comes with the local association needing to service a $1 million loan from the Christchurch City Council.

The 10-year council loan was provided to the organisers of the NZ Agricultural Show following the Covid lockdowns and the effects on income with no spectators for the last two NZ Shows.

Cassels Brewery sponsorship deal will help the Canterbury A & P Association pay back the $1 million dollar 10-year loan from the Christchurch City Council. Photo / Supplied

Tracy Ahern, general manager The NZ Show said the three-year deal with Cassels Brewery is crucial for the future of the association.

"Without the support, we would be struggling to meet our key performance indicators to pay back our loan that we owe to the council," said Ahern.

"We are very excited to have them onboard... a local iconic brand like our own," she added.

Cassels Brewery will feature prominently at the NZ Agricultural Show, the biggest week of the year in Christchurch from November 9-11.

"They will be on our members' marquee... on our corporate hosting and they are bringing their Cassels bus along which will be exciting," said Ahern.

There will also be the Cassels Baabaa bar and evening entertainment for the first time at The Show from Tuesday right through to Friday night.

"We have got TikiTane, lots of bands and music, mechanical bull, paint by numbers," said Ahern

They will also have a BBQ competition on the backside of the bar that is sure to draw a crowd.

While Ahern won't reveal how much the sponsorship deal is worth for commercial reason she says it is "significant".

"We can't rely on one week of income a year."

"Our challenge is to put Canterbury A and P Association (CAPA) and The Show in a far sounder financial position by forming new relationships with businesses that share our vision.

Cassels Brewery CEO Marshall Moir says they are thrilled to support CAPA and to help bring the A & P Show back to the community.

"As a family-owned Christchurch business, we're really excited by the plans The Show team have for this year. The focus on local, quality and craftsmanship are the values that are most important to us.," said Moir

Founder of the Cassels Brewing Company, Alasdair Cassels (middle) who passed away in April 2022. Photo / Supplied

It was only six months ago Cassels Brewery lost its company founder and developer Alasdair Cassels.

The 71-year-old passed away in April 2022.

Cassels is well known for his investment in the brewery after the 2011 earthquake and after 100 days their structurally sound but broken brewery was reborn to include a bar, café, music venue and restaurant.