Central Hawke’s Bay businesses with potential for global impact recognised at export awards

Central Hawke’s Bay businesses Starboard Bio and Ovenden Seeds have the “potential to make a meaningful difference in the world”, according to ASB head of international trade Mike Atkins.

The businesses both scooped awards at the 2025 Export NZ ASB Hawke’s Bay Export Awards were held at a gala dinner at the Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre on July 31.

Starboard Bio, which processes its product at Ovation’s Waipukurau plant, won the T&G Global Best Established Business Award.

Ovenden Seeds, based in Waipawa, won the ContainerCo Best Emerging Business.

Starboard Bio produces and exports animal-derived pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and functional food ingredients, supplying frozen raw materials and powdered ingredients for encapsulation to the EU and US markets.

Fully New Zealand-owned, Starboard Bio has 100% control over its supply chain management from the source farm right through to the customer, retaining complete traceability and control of products from the animals on the farm right through processing, production and delivery.

Ovenden Seeds, based in Waipawa, won the ContainerCo Best Emerging Business.

Ovenden Seeds is a specialist seed multiplication company growing, processing and exporting herb and vegetable seeds, particularly smaller, hard-to-handle varieties.

Seeds are dried, cleaned and packed at a custom facility near Waipawa. With farms in Hawke’s Bay and grower partners in Canterbury, Ovenden focuses on growth and exports to the UK, EU and US.

Ovenden Seeds suffered damage in Cyclone Gabrielle but has relocated, rebuilt its seed drying plant and added a new purpose-built cleaning and storage facility equipped with the latest seed-cleaning and drying technology from Europe, China and the US.

ExportNZ Hawke’s Bay regional manager Amanda Liddle said it was outstanding to see another cohort of such amazing finalists and winners.

“Going global is a tough business, more so than ever, but these exporters show the best of what our region has to offer.”

Winners of each category will now go on to the final stage of the New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) International Business Awards, held in Auckland on November 27.