Zespri takes out Deloitte 200's most improved performance award

Improved: Zespri chairman Peter McBride (with trophy), team members and growers celebrate their Deloitte 200 award win. Photo/supplied

Zespri won the Newstalk ZB Most Improved Performance Award at this week's Deloitte Top 200 Awards, beating out Trade Me and Kathmandu in the category.

"We're thrilled to be recognised with this award, on the back of a record-breaking season and great market performance of Zespri SunGold," said chief operating officer Simon Limmer.

"Our industry is built on partnership. With growers and post-harvest as well as research providers such as Plant & Food Research. We've all worked together to achieve this success and deliver the premium, tasty, healthy fruit our consumers want."

Zespri had sold the largest-ever volume of fruit last season, with record returns to growers, Mr Limmer said, and the industry was back on track to more than double global sales to $4.5 billion by 2025.

The overall winner was Z Energy, which took out the Company of the Year award, while its boss Mike Bennetts was awarded Chief Executive of the Year.

This year's awards were produced by NZME, which owns the New Zealand Herald and the Bay of Plenty Times, and Newstalk ZB, which presented them.

NZME chief executive Michael Boggs congratulated the winners and said the company was thrilled to partner with the awards.

"NZME is proud to support New Zealand businesses and these awards show that these businesses are leading not only nationally, but at a world-class level," said Mr Boggs.

Deloitte chief executive Thomas Pippos said the Top 200 winners continued to impress.

"These individuals and organisations should be incredibly proud of their achievements."