Iroulégy’s co-operative winery welcomes a new young chairman, and an innovative payment scheme

attin Etcheverria, a co-operative winegrower since entering the industry in 2020, has been appointed chairman of the iconic Basque co-operative winery in Iroulégy. He succeeds Olivier Martin, who led the co-operative for seven years and will remain a member of its board. A self-taught winegrower, Etcheverria seized the opportunity to establish himself in 2020 when he took over four hectares of vines from a long-standing co-operative member in Saint-Etienne-de-Baïgorry. He subsequently converted the vineyard to organic farming and gradually became involved in the co-operative’s governance.

His predecessor, whose commitment to the winegrowing community was widely praised by peers, handed over the reins with confidence “and pride to Mattin, a young co-operative winegrower supported by a dynamic board and a team of dedicated employees”. The winery brings together 27 member growers.

Looking ahead, Etcheverria has underscored his determination to secure a sustainable future for members. He intends to continue implementation of the new remuneration system introduced by the winery under Olivier Martin’s leadership in 2025. According to a press statement, the system “significantly increases the share of remuneration linked to labour”. Based on an average annual crop in the range of 400 tonnes – irrespective of fluctuations caused by adverse weather – the model reflects the co-operative’s ethos of solidarity. Rather than indexing payments directly to the volumes delivered by individual growers, the system prioritises income stability. “The winery’s annual revenue remains consistent from year to year due to staggered releases of its stocks”, explains the new chairman.