The founder of Paengoroa-based company, Comvita, has died today aged 102.
Claude Stratford passed away this morning at his residence in Carter House, Te Puke, just under six weeks away from what would have been his 103rd birthday.
Mr Stratford founded Comvita, a global health and beauty product company, in 1974, at the age of 63, by making and selling a range of bee products from the basement in his home in Paengaroa in the Bay of Plenty.
From these humble beginnings Comvita has grown into a New Zealand export success story, generating over $100million annual sales in 18 markets around the world.
Comvita co-founder and non-executive Director Alan Bougen said Mr Stratford was an