TEAM HUSK
Paul Messenger
Founder / CEO
A family holiday to the French Caribbean sparked Paul’s love of Agricole rum and prompted him to build Australia’s first and only Agricole distillery, starting out in a small farm shed on the family farm. Paul continues to oversee the distilling and every aspect of the distillery.
Favourite Cocktail: ‘Ti Punch
Mandaley Perkins
Founder / CFO
Besides keeping the financial wheels in motion, Mandaley is the creative force behind Husk Distillery. With a writing background and an eye for design she’s seen through the old dairy property bloom into Husk Farm Distillery.
Favourite Cocktail: Negroni
Quentin Brival
Head Distiller / Production Manager
Hailing from French Martinique, the home of Agricole rum, Quentin is Husk’s fountain of knowledge of all things Agricole. He’s a connoisseur, truly passionate about fine rum and creating new and exciting products.
Favourite Cocktail: All agricole rum….
Harriet Messenger
Head of Brands
Harriet heads up the marketing team, and also oversees the tourism & hospitality business. With skills in creative marketing and storytelling, she is responsible for building the Ink Gin and Husk Rum brands from the ground up.
Favourite Cocktail: Dirty Martini
Matt Bazeley
General Manager Sales
Over the last 2 decades Matt has worked in the alcohol industry, most recently leading a commercial team of 90 as Sales Director at Brown Foreman. Matt has now joined Husk as General Manager of Sales, where he is leading the sales team to grow the Husk Rum and Ink Gin brands in Australia and internationally. His son Harrison, who loves tractors, approves of this new role at Husk Farm and is quite taken by our harvester.
Favourite Cocktail:
Michelle Hawes
Head of Accounts
Our unflappable head of accounts is a calming force in our lives. An incredible team player, Michelle tackles everything from financial reporting, implementing ERP systems to scrubbing post-flood mud with a smile. Originally hailing from the UK, Michelle has settled into her new home on the southern Gold Coast. She is also leading the internal petition to employ a Husk Therapy Donkey. Contact her to add your signature.
Favourite Cocktail: Classic Ink G&T
Adam ‘Crashy’ Benwell
Distiller
Born and raised Byron Bay, and known as one of the best pro body boarders in Australian history. Adam is a core member of our distilling crew. Ad loves distilling spirits but his real love is wine making and he does a bloody good job of both!
In his free time, he loves travelling near and far with his wife and two daughters.
Favourite Cocktail: ‘Ti Punch
Jeremy Lawnikanis
Distiller
Ahhh Jerry. He is one of the nicest blokes you’ll ever meet. By day he distills Husk Rum and Ink Gin, and by night he’s lapping up cuddles from his gorgeous little girl Remi. He’s always happy to smash any task that needs doing, you could say he’s a jack of all trades.
Favourite cocktail: Husk Botanic & Tonic
Nicole Gallagher
Venue Manager - Husk Farm Distillery
Nikki is the ray of sunshine who welcomes our guests at Husk Farm Distillery. Equipped with the tools to juggle a hundred things at once in our busy venue, Nikki is one of the most charming people you’ll meet.
Favourite cocktail: Splice Girls
Emma Attewell
National Key Account Manager
Em started with Husk at the cellar door and quickly became one of those people that every department wanted a piece of! With strong customer service skills and attention to detail, Emma has now moved into the sales team looking after our national key accounts as well as export and corporate gifting.
Favourite Cocktail: Botanic Southside
Dan MacLeod
Territory Manager: Brisbane / Sunshine Coast
After a move from locked-down Melbourne to sunny Brisbane with a strong background in alcohol sales, Dan hit the ground running with Husk in 2021. With family ties to the Tweed Valley and an excellent spirits education under his belt, Dan is the go-to man for our Brisbane & Sunny Coast customers.
Favourite Cocktail: Barrel aged pure cane white negroni #fancy
Fran O’Hara
Accounts Team / Office Manager
Fran is a queen of organisation and a wizard with everything accounts & admin. When she’s not busy keeping us in line at Husk, you’ll find her on her farm tending to finger limes and avocados while grooving it to some good old Aussie rock.
Favourite Cocktail: Blood Orange Fizz
Alex Sanabre
Cellar Door Manager / Far North QLD Sales
Hailing from France and now calling Australia home, Alex knows his rum. Alex is responsible for creating our cocktail list, has a great palate and when he’s in the zone he is a cocktail making machine.
Favourite Cocktail: Caipirinha (with Pure Cane 50!)
Jessy Hincksman
Bottling Supervisor
Jessy has been with us forever and is the most reliable dependable angel. Jessy spends her days in the bottling room often bottling up to 3,000 bottles a day. Jessy also makes an appearance in dispatch from time to time, and brings a can-do attitude every time. She has 2 dogs, is also creative and sews things like scrunchies. Clever girl!
Favourite Cocktail: Ink Southside
Matilda “Tilly” Messenger
Morning Tea Supervisor
While sometimes Tilly can come on a little strong (she has a tendency to smooch her co-workers) this excitable Viszla is a much loved member of the Husk team. She is passionate about reducing waste - overseeing the production team’s smoko is where she shines, making sure no crumb goes to waste.
Favourite Cocktail: H2O!
Husk Recycling Team
Our cattle are integral team members. They eat all the organic distillery waste - stillage, spent botanicals, cane tops and the high protein yeast left behind after distilling rum. This supplements their diet during the winter harvest months, when the nutrition in the grass is at its lowest. The result is the fattest, happiest cows in the valley!
Favourite Cocktail: Spent Wash & Gin Botanicals