Cooperage Wine & Beer Making Supplies owes its origins to Ray Wheeler's late father, Bruce Wheeler. He was a cooper by trade who started the original business in Rozelle in 1945, calling it Union Cooperage.

During the 1950's and 1960's Union Cooperage's main business was repairing wooden beer barrels for all the major breweries in Sydney and that was where Ray served his apprenticeship as a cooper (barrel maker).

In 1964 Bruce moved the business to bigger premises at Smithfield. Here a relationship was formed with the European community who needed their wooden casks repaired or reduced in size for their home-made wine.

In 1972 the company started selling wine grapes brought up from South Australia on the premises and that was when Ray became more involved in the wine making process. As our relationship grew with our customers and more wine making equipment was required, we set up a small shop located at the front of our premises to satisfy their needs. We also had a wine license for several years and sold wine in bulk to our customers.

As Ray's experience and knowledge in wine making developed, he was able offer advice to customers with their wine making problems as well as basic wine analysis.

In 1975, Ray's wife Sandra became involved and joined the company to work in the shop.

In 2004, our daughter Michelle joined the company, which completes our family business.