Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley. Photo / Salina Galvan Photography
Not being able to operate under Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown restrictions would have resulted in a "multibillion-dollar problem" for the kiwifruit industry, the head of a Western Bay kiwifruit cool store says.
EastPack chief executive Hamish Simson said Covid-19 added some "pretty significant" challenges to the business.
"Covid cost us a lot of money ... But despite all the stresses and strains, we were one of the lucky ones," he said.
Lucky, he said, because they were allowed to operate under alert level 4 lockdown restrictions.
"Without being able to operate we would have had a total failure of the crop for 2020," he said.
"If we were not able to pick and pack, the fruit would have been a write-off. In an industry [like this] we are talking about a multibillion-dollar problem."
However, Simson said the changes to be compliant in Level 4 were "massive" for the business.
"We had to be compliant within two days. We operate our whole business on being under 2m spacing and we had to change to operate under a 2m rule for more than 3500 people."
"But we did it."
Simson said they had come out on the other side of lockdown back to business as usual.
"Our cool stores are nearly empty. We are feeling pretty confident now we have got through it as a business."
EastPack was named the Westpac Tauranga Business of the Year in 2019 and Simson said the award was a reaffirmation the business was headed in the right direction.
"We started 2020 on a real feel-good note," he said. "It is a boost to our company culture and our business confidence."
Simson said being part of the business awards was a good process to go through.
"The process of judging is also a reflective process on how we are doing and how we can do things differently going forward.
"Having to articulate that to a judging panel puts you in a good headspace for your own business."
He said recognising business success in a time of uncertainty was more important than ever post-lockdown.
"Business confidence is a very good indicator of willingness to invest, willingness to move forward and willingness to employ staff and take risks.
"Celebrating success is a beacon towards business confidence."
Event organiser Anne Pankhurst said now more than ever businesses could celebrate their people and their resilience through a really challenging time.
"It is a time and process to recognise those that have struggled, and those that reset their models and adapted to the new operating environment.
"Entering the awards allows each of those entrants to share with their peers how they have managed and to celebrate success with their teams."
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley said a positive way to finish an extraordinary year for many businesses was to reflect on the journey and obstacles their team had to overcome.
"The Westpac Tauranga Business Awards process allows you to reflect with your team with the benefit of reinforcing your company values and boosting team morale.
"Whether you win an award or not, the business awards process will build a sense of pride with your team."
Businesses have had to adapt to meet the changing world of Covid-19 more than ever before.
That's why Greg Cummings, director of Liz van Welie Aquatics, believes this year's Westpac Tauranga Business Awards will be an opportunity for businesses to get together for this year's awards and share stories of how they got through the lockdown.
Liz van Welie Aquatics won the Service Excellence awards at last year's Westpac Tauranga Business Awards.
Cummings said the awards were a "significant pat on the back" for the staff.
"Winning the service award was affirmation not just for Liz and I but for all the staff that what they do matters.
"To win the award is a quality objective measure that we're doing the right thing."
Cummings said more than ever, businesses have had to adapt to meet the changing world of Covid-19.
"This year's business awards will be a fantastic opportunity for businesses to get together, share their stories from the past 12 months and learn from each other."
The Covid-19 lockdowns provided an "incredibly valuable" opportunity to catch up on staff professional development, planning, repairs and maintenance - and some rest.
"It wasn't what we wanted, but as a team, we decided to make the very best of the situation we were in."
Cummings said just like other businesses the swim school lost a lot of income because of the lockdown.
"We had to keep the pools running, the pumps, the UV units, the air conditioning all needed to function together to keep the building clean and safe for when we returned."
But he was grateful for the Government's wage subsidy and other financial support that helped the business "ticking over".
As soon as level 2 hit, it was back to business for the swim school and they were able to retain all staff.
"Coming out the other side of lockdown we had the goal of being better than we were before.
"It is going to take us a few years to recover financially but we also acknowledge there are a lot of businesses a lot worse off than us."
A Pāpāmoa shopping centre has continued to attract leading fashion brands to its complex after the Covid-19 lockdown.
Fashion Island Shopping Centre won the Retail Excellence Award at last year's Westpac Tauranga Business Awards.
Since then, centre manager Roz Irwin said they had continued to attract leading brands to the shopping complex.
"Since winning the award we have seen the opening of Puma Outlet and Sketchers outlet stores and we have some other Bay of Plenty exclusive brands coming. It is exciting times for us."
Irwin said like all other retail stores, the centre had to close under alert levels 3 and 4.
"We worked closely with our brands and their global offices to pivot and a lot were able to offer online delivery during alert level 3.
"Being an outdoor shopping centre enabled easy access for courier pickups - our car park become a courier laneway."
Since lockdown, Irwin said the centre had gone from "strength to strength".
"There are certainly advantages to being an outdoor shopping centre – store frontage car parking and open-air gives peace of mind to our shoppers.
"Social distancing is so much more manageable."
Going through the application and judging process was a "great business health check exercise" for the centre, she said.
"To be awarded the retail excellence award for the second consecutive year was a real honour and validation that we are doing it right.
"The business awards have always been to celebrate, support and acknowledge local business.
"This year it will also be to acknowledge the transformation and resilience that a lot business have had to do over the last six months."
What: Westpac Tauranga Business Awards 2020
Where: Trinity Wharf Tauranga
When: November 13
Theme: Shine Like A Diamond
• Nominations and entries are open from July 20 to September 25. Visit www.businessawards.org.nz for full details and supporting documents.
ACC Workplace
Winner: EastPack Ltd
Finalist: Lysaght Consultants Ltd
Finalist: Tika Interiors
Digital and Technology Innovation
Winner: Proppy
Finalists: EastPack Ltd
Finalists: The Babysitters Club Ltd
Business Innovation
Winner: EastPack Ltd
Finalist: House of Science NZ
Finalist: Lysaght Consultants Ltd
Finalist: The Babysitters Club Ltd
Customer Experience Award
Winner: Bake Shack
Highly Commended: LL Wedding & Event Hire
Finalist: Eagle Ridge
Finalist: The Relocatable House Company
Social Enterprise
Winner: Acorn Foundation
Highly Commended: Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard
Finalist: House of Science NZ
Retail Excellence
Winner: Fashion Island
Finalist: Bake Shack
Sustainable Business
Winner: The Kollective - TK
Highly Commended: Why Waste
Emerging Business
Winner: Collab Digital
Finalist: Liv Light
Finalist: The Babysitters Club
Service Excellence
Winner: Liz van Wellie Aquatics
Highly Commended: LL Wedding & Event Hire
Finalist: The Babysitters Club Ltd
Finalist: Bureta Physiotherapy
Finalist: The Relocatable House Company
Tourism & Hospitality
Winner: Good Local Pyes Pa
Finalist: Manaaki Tours
Finalist: Eagle Ridge
Manufacturing & Distribution
Winner: EastPack Ltd
Finalist: Bake Shack
Finalist: Archway Group
Corporate Sponsorship
Winner: Wave Agency
Finalist: Trustpower
Corporate Leadership
RoboticsPlus
Westpac Tauranga Business of the Year
EastPack Ltd
The animal was euthanised after ripping through a wire fence.