Brands.co.nz co-founders and mates since school, Justin Blair (left) and Damien Green. Photo / Kirsten Simcox Photography
Brands.co.nz co-founders and mates since school, Justin Blair (left) and Damien Green. Photo / Kirsten Simcox Photography
Founders of a booming online shopping website crowned the top business at the 2021 Pan Pac Hawke's Bay Business Awards have a simple message for other companies - embrace technology and reap the rewards.
Hastings company brands.co.nz won the 2021 Supreme Award on Friday night during the annual event inHastings.
Good friends Damien Green and Justin Blair founded the company and were visibly shocked to receive the top accolade.
It has been a long journey for the pair who went to Hastings Boys' High School together before launching their first company at university, about 20 years ago - a jukebox hire business.
In 2013, they began operating pop-up stores across New Zealand known as The Brand Outlet, which led to them starting an online shopping website in 2016.
The website has become hugely popular across the country and they renamed their website brands.co.nz earlier this year.
Brands.co.nz sells everything from beauty and fragrance goods to toys and fitness goods - largely aimed at a female market - and the business will dispatch over 30,000 orders this month alone.
The brands.co.nz team at the awards night on Friday. Photo / Kirsten Simcox Photography
"It is amazing to be an entrepreneur in this environment, we have really embraced technology and created a cool business," Blair said, in front of other business leaders at Toitoi Hawke's Bay Arts and Events Centre.
"I think for everyone here today, embrace technology, use it for your advantage and you will reap the rewards."
He also encouraged more young people to get into business as "they know how to use [technology]".
Co-founder Green said they were proud to have their business based in Hastings.
"Our sales have been nearly doubling year on year for the past four years," he said.
"This month will be our biggest month ever, with about 30,000 orders shipping out to New Zealanders."
He said they could not thank their team of 45 staff enough and "there are many people along the way that make sure we bring joy to online shopping".
"We intend to keep doubling our sales every year and we want to be New Zealand's leading e-commerce company. We think we are on a very strong path to get there."
Green said last year's Covid lockdown meant they stopped operating pop-up stores and were now solely focused on the online business.
Brands.co.nz also won the Excellence in Innovation Award on Friday.
"We run these things called 'live shopping events' on our website, where brands will lead a session and talk about their brand and may run a promotion as well," Green said.
"We have also introduced a piece of software, which is running reverse auctions."
A reverse auction sees the price of a product start at RRP then drop until the first person purchases it.
"It's like a game of chicken," Green said.
The annual Hawke's Bay Business Awards is hosted by the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce and celebrates excellence among local businesses.
There were five category winners announced on Friday night, plus a Leader of the Year Award and the overall Supreme Award winner.
The event was at risk of being cancelled due to Covid this year but organisers managed to pull off an in-person event at Toitoi while keeping to Covid restrictions.
WINNERS AT THE 2021 PAN PAC HAWKE'S BAY BUSINESS AWARDS
Best Emerging Business: Te Wai Mauri Limited (environmental trust)
Outstanding Community Contribution: Pak'nSave Tamatea
Excellence in Sustainability: Hapī Ora cafe
Excellence in Innovation: brands.co.nz
Ultimate Visitor Experience: Birdwoods Cafe and Gallery
