Record number of high-calibre entries for ExportNZ ASB Hawke's Bay Export Awards

ExportNZ Hawke's Bay chairman Stuart Ainslie said the awards continued to show it didn't matter how big or small companies had to be to succeed. Photo / NZME

From gin to juice, judges deciding the winners of the sixth ExportNZ ASB Hawke's Bay Export Awards have a challenge on their hands after a record number of entries.

A high-calibre field of finalists for the awards were announced on Monday, leaving plenty of work for the award judges, ASB head of international trade Fergus Lee, NZTE director Wayne Norrie, Callaghan Innovation specialist Jenny Brown, Napier Port chairman Alasdair Macleod, and NZTE regional manager Katrina Buscke to decide the winners.

Lee said the quality of the entries was high.

"There are great companies out there doing great stuff the length and breadth of Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, so we know the overall winner will be right up there when it comes to representing the region at the national awards."

ExportNZ Hawke's Bay executive officer Amanda Liddle said the record entries were easily at a standard on par with the previous five competitions.

"We've been really thrilled with the wide variety of entries, which I believe display a true representation of what companies are doing here in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne," she said.

"Companies of all shapes and sizes have faced enormous challenges over the past 15 months, and these awards give us the opportunity to show how much we value what they've gone through."

Stuart Ainslie, chairman of ExportNZ Hawke's Bay, said the awards continued to show it didn't matter how big or small companies had to be to succeed.

"There was a real mix of smaller exporters who entered and who are well placed to scale and grow on the global stage. We love watching that happen and this event helps them prepare for that."

FINALISTS

ContainerCo Best Emerging Business: Wood Mallets (Otane), NZ Mecates (Wairoa), Kiwigarden (Hastings), National Distillery Company (Napier), Nibblish (Havelock North).

Southeast Asia Centre Asia Pacific Excellence in Innovation: Future Products Group (Napier), NZ Juice Company (Whakatu), The True Honey Co (Dannevirke), National Distillery Company.

T & G Global Best Established Business: NZ Frost Fans (Hastings), Mt Erin Group (Hastings), GisVin (Gisborne).

The winners of each category will contest the supreme award of ASB Exporter of the Year, and will automatically go to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) International Business Awards in Auckland in November.