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
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
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: Ink Southside
Laura
Accounts Team
Her days are a whirlwind of everything from paying the bills, employee admin and keeping things organised behind the scenes. When she’s not working, you’ll find her soaking up the sun at the beach with her pup by her side.
Favourite Cocktail: Mojito
Emma
Supply Chain 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
Iain
Production Manager
He focuses on ensuring products are produced safely and meet the highest quality standards while also supporting their team to achieve peak performance. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time at our beautiful local beaches.
Favourite cocktail: Dark & Stormy
Zac
Distiller
Zac is a local Murbah boy with a background in brewing. He’s now crossed over to the spirit world! In his spare time Zac loves to jam out with his band, Jono’s Mate Sheep. Check them out.
Favourite cocktail: Rumbo
Ben
Distiller
Benny grew up right next to our distillery in Tumbulgum and still calls it home! He’s been with us since he was 14, starting out in our restaurant as a dishy before moving to bartending. His passion for rum has always been clear, so it was only natural for him to end up behind the scenes, crafting it.
At this point, Benny might even have his own rum company in his backyard!
Favourite Cocktail: Aged Negroni
Jessy
Logistics Supervisor
Jessy’s been with us forever and is truly our reliable, dependable angel. She started in the Bottling Hall and now works full-time in dispatch, packing orders and controlling the chaos.
Favourite Cocktail: Ink Southside
Abby
Production Technician
Abby looks over the whole bottling process from filling to sealing. Whilst the machine is great, it does strike many issues and Abby is responsible for managing them. With some killer tunes, she can bottle up to 1,900 bottles in a day.
Favourite cocktail: Mango Weiss Daiquiri
Nicole
Venue Manager - Husk Farm Distillery
Nikki is the ray of sunshine who makes sure every guest has a great experience 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: Ink Martini
Liana
Host & Events Co-ordinator
Liana is a go-getter who lights up every room with her energy. She keeps guest bookings and events running smoothly and helps staff shine. I don’t think we’ve ever seen her stand still, she’s always running around a thousand miles an hour trying to keep the venue organised.
Favourite Cocktail: Ink Sloe & Berry - Take Note
Rory
Cellar Door Manager
Rory’s been in the bartending game for years and has owned his own restaurant and bar. Now, he’s the mastermind behind turning our spirits into the best cocktails you’ll ever taste. With his easygoing attitude, he’s all about creating great drinks - and when he’s off the clock, he’s hanging out with his kids.
Favourite Cocktail: Negroni
Pepsi
Head Chef
Pepsi brings quality and organic goodness to the Husk Farm kitchen! With a background at Bang Bang in Byron, she’s passionate about cooking whenever she can. For her, it’s not just a job - it’s a craft she loves. And with a smile like that, it’s easy to see why!
Favourite cocktail:
Lou
Husk Farm’s horticulturist
Walking around Husk Farm, it’s impossible not to stop and admire the beauty of our gardens - and Lou deserves all the credit. Despite the size of the property, she’s made it her mission to make every garden thrive. From composting to planting kitchen greens, she knows these grounds like the back of her hand.
Favourite cocktail: Gin & Tonic
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