Suite Talk: Talking love, legacy, and wines with the duo leading homegrown brand Straits Wine

Straits Wine’s new leadership duo shares with Aditi Sharma Kalra their vision for modernising the heritage brand and strengthening organisational culture. 

Puwaneswari Naidu and Stefano Oliva (pictured above, left-right) are a couple in life and work. 

The foundation of their group, Santero & Oliva, lies in Italy, where Stefano manages his family’s third-generation vineyard. In Asia, their first venture was Marisa’s Bakery in Singapore, a tribute to Stefano’s late mother, blending family and artisanal craft. Since then, the Group diversified into the lifestyle segment, with the launch of Felici Pizza Kitchen in Thailand and partnering with Thai fashion house Supa East Glamour.

A pivotal acquisition was the Straits Wine Company, one of Singapore’s pioneering wine distributors, which the couple aims to transform into a true legacy brand while elevating wine culture across Asia.

to this venture, Stefano brings the legacy of his vineyard and expertise in wine, while Puwaneswari leads the group’s brand vision and business expansion, given her passion for food, brand-building, and storytelling.

In this chat with Aditi Sharma Kalra, we find out about the duo's plans to elevate the homegrown brand, and how they scale culture and processes while growing headcount.

Q Having taken over the leadership reins just over a year ago, what is your vision for this homegrown wine retail brand, and what steps are you taking to bring this to life?

We envision Straits Wine to be more chic, playful, and appealing to both the older and younger crowds alike, and to revive passion in wines through contemporary and fun partnerships and ideas.

Q What are the typical barriers that you have seen in wine culture previously, and how are you working to evoke more awareness on these?

Many wine drinkers have been exposed to the same few regions and wineries for some time. Wine sessions are also typically conducted in private settings and with the same few groups, limiting exposure to the greater wine world. We hope to help contribute to make wine drinking and appreciation more open and socially inclusive, which would in turn encourage the desire to pursue more wines from more wine regions in the world.

Q How do you on-board and train staff to develop product awareness, while ensuring the culture & processes are very inclusive?

We have nearly 30 employees across Straits Wine, and these employees are hired across diverse backgrounds, yet share a common fun-loving attitude and openness to new ideas and wines, thus reflecting our wide variety of wines which we also try to expose to the employees as much as we can. We also adopt a nurturing and helpful culture. These elements in turn reflect outwards to coincide with the inclusivity that we hope to portray to customers and the general public.

Q As partners in both life and work, what principles do you both keep in mind to resolve differences of opinion, and what's your advice to other business partners?

We lead with respect and affection, even when we disagree. We listen to understand, not to win, and we remind ourselves that we are always on the same side. Love and trust guide our decisions, and clarity follows.

Our advice to other business partners is to communicate honestly, choose shared values over ego, and protect the relationship as much as the business.

Q You both are dabbling in a lot of businesses - how do you manage your time and energy to ensure you bring your best to everything you do?

We probably spend most of our waking hours tending to the businesses that we helm, however we enjoy this process as these businesses were curated according to our passion and ethos. We also have to thank our wonderful team and partners who provide tremendous help in making managing these companies easier.

Q Let's end the interview on a light note - if each of you had to describe your personality as a bottle of wine, what traits would you highlight?

Puwaneswari: Stefano is a pét-nat rosé Moscato. Joyful, spontaneous, and naturally expressive, with a gentle sparkle that brings lightness and warmth to every room.

I am like Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. Elegant and expressive, layered and intuitive, with a quiet strength beneath softness, and a presence that lingers long after the first impression.

Photo / Provided

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