Taipa Salt Pig takes out national business competition

Eco-oriented salt producers Yasmin and James Moore are excited about the sustainable expansion a recent $5,000 prize win will enable. Photo / Supplied.

Popular Far North artisan salt makers James and Yasmin Moore say they’re thrilled with a recent competition win, with the $5,000 cash prize to fund an essential step towards achieving a circular economy.

On Tuesday, Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) announced the four winners of its inaugural Market Made competition - a nationwide search for New Zealand’s up-and-coming small business success stories, born out of a market.

The Taipa Salt Pig, which makes about a third of its sales at markets and shows - including Kerikeri’s Packhouse Market - was selected from a total of 213 entries.

Founder James Moore said the win provided a boost of support at just the right time, and the cash would fund an important development in an affiliated business, Ocean Water Co.

“I’ve entered a lot of grants and competitions recently, so it was really nice to finally have a win,” Moore said.

Their prize also included a Samsung Galaxy Z flip-phone, a BNZ Business Financial Healthcheck, and paid promotion on BNZ social channels to the value of $2,500.

“We’re excited, because this came at the perfect time to support the launch of this water product we’ve been working to develop.”

Potable desalinated water is a byproduct of the salt-making operation, meaning the businesses essentially feed each other.

Moore said they would use the cash to fund the production of 750ml glass bottles for use in a ‘swapper crate-type’ system at restaurants.

Labels will be laser-etched onto the bottles, meaning they can be removed, sterilised and reused.

“So as long as you return your bottle, your next purchase is just the water. This means we can compete on price with the likes of water company Antipodes.”

This in turn will create a circular economy, an idea Moore said customers were becoming more aware of.

“People are starting to understand the value of making things reusable, and that’s exactly what this does.”

Moore said he recently attended a food hui [discussion] in Russell, where he pitched the idea to restauranteurs.

“I got a great response from some higher-end eateries. So, now we have the funding to do a trial run with five or six businesses in Kaitaia, Kerikeri and Russell.”

Moore added that a refillable glass bottle system at shops was in the works - with a paper product design company currently working on an easily-removable label.

There were also plans to put their own fridges into shops, giving them a face in a space normally dominated by the big beverage brands which own the fridges.

Further on the horizon for Ocean Water Co. are water farms, which would produce potable water for local communities.

Moore said a charitable trust operation was being set up in order to make this possible.

“We’re hoping to partner with the council as well, but if that doesn’t come to fruition, I’ll pay for it myself,” Moore said.

“We just need the first one built to show people it works.”

BNZ spokesperson and competition judge Amy Phillips said she was blown away by the calibre of entries in the competition.

“We believe each of the winners has the potential to become the next New Zealand success story.”