2023 Unison Great Lake Taupō Business Awards winners announced

Epro is named Business of the Year at the 2023 Unison Great Lake Taupō Business Awards. Photo / Abby Dance

Predator control and ecological services company Epro took the top BNZ Overall Business of the Year award at the 2023 Unison Great Lake Taupō Business Awards last week.

The biennial awards were held at the Great Lake Centre on Friday and businesses in the Taupō region vied for business excellence awards in seven categories.

Epro also won the Excellence in Strategy and Planning award and the Excellence in Community Contribution award, plus was Highly Commended in the Employer of the Year category.

The Taupō company delivers a range of predator control services to clients throughout New Zealand, protecting biodiversity through aerial, ground and survey control programmes.

Its mission statement includes looking after the environment and protecting New Zealand’s native wildlife through regenerating native flora and fauna and protecting valuable meat and dairy export market.

The judges commented that Epro has built a culture that is supportive, growth-orientated and fun to work in.

Morale is high, performance is achieved, and the staff were proud to work there.

Other big winners on the night included Cheal Consultants Ltd, winners of the Excellence in Marketing and Employer of the Year awards.

Media Shepherd won the Excellence in Innovation award; Kinloch Honey won the Excellence in Sustainability award and Treat NZ scooped a win in the Best Emerging Business award.

There were also amazing success stories in the Highly Commended Winners list. In some cases, the highly commended winners were only a couple of points behind the overall winners.

The entrants were judged by business academics and industry experts from Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua and Cromwell and were scored on written entries and site visits where they each had to pitch their business.

A fabulous crowd of business people and supporters were on hand to celebrate the achievements and successes of all the finalists and the winners on the night.

The 2023 Unison Great Lake Taupō Business Awards recipients

Excellence in Strategy and Planning sponsored by Strettons

Highly Commended: Graft Joinery

Winner: Epro

Excellence in Marketing sponsored by Legend

Highly Commended: Pure Lighting

Winner: Cheal Consultants Ltd

Excellence in Innovation sponsored by Amplify

Highly Commended: Pure Lighting

Winner: Media Shepherd

Excellence in Sustainability sponsored by Contact

Highly Commended: The Cozy Corner

Winner: Kinloch Honey

Excellence in Community Contribution sponsored by MoreFM

Highly Commended: Kia Ora Strength and Conditioning

Winner: Epro

Employer of the Year sponsored by 2 Degrees

Highly Commended: Epro

Winner: Cheal Consultants Ltd

Best Emerging Business sponsored by Toi Ohomai

Highly Commended: Cafe Lacus

Winner: Treat NZ

Overall Business of the Year sponsored by BNZ

Winner: Epro

The organisers wanted to thank the main sponsors, as well as the supporting sponsors. Without them, the awards programme would not go ahead.