What began as making nutritious and healthy snacks for their children three years ago has resulted in Joanne Edwards and Taine Randall scooping up a major win at the 2016 New Zealand Food Awards.
"Last year we got in as finalists for two of our lines but this is our first big win," said Ms Edwards, who is a director of Hastings-based Kiwigarden.
"I was stunned. I wasn't expecting it at all, so it was a genuine surprise."
The judges gave the top nod in the coveted Foodbowl Novel Ingredient category to Kiwigarden's new coconut raspberry yoghurt drops product at the Auckland-based event, which celebrates the best of the best within the New Zealand food industry.
"We all went up for the awards so this is really nice for the whole team and I'm really delighted for them because they work so hard."