ExportNZ Bay of Plenty Awards winners announced

The 2019 group winners at the BOP ExportNZ Awards. Photo / Wayne Tait Photography

The big winners of the ExportNZ Bay of Plenty Awards have been announced, with the winners coming from a broad range of industry sectors.

The 29th annual awards were presented last night at a glamorous 'A Night with the Stars' gala dinner in Tauranga.

You Travel Best Emerging Business winner Manaaki Adventures offer customised packages to suit the student market for education, adventure, service, culture and sports tours, as well as rugby tours for teams of all ages.

Touring parties get the opportunity to tap into some of the best educational and rugby brains the country has to offer, while getting an authentic insight into Maori culture.

Judges commended them for leveraging existing experience, learning from others and upskilling themselves to set themselves up for success, which has paid off with 100 per cent growth in turnover year on year.

Page Macrae Engineering Excellence in Innovation winner Bluelab lives and breathes innovation in order to develop technology that unlocks the potential in plants while equipping growers with the freedom to pioneer in the plant-age.

Judges commented that innovative techniques and approaches had been applied across the product, service and user experience, contributing to Bluelab now exporting to the USA, Netherlands and Spain.

Beca Export Achievement Award winner Ruby Grant, general manager sales and marketing of Heilala Vanilla, has challenged convention and developed new channels to market, including Amazon where it has been the top-selling vanilla on the US site.

Judges said she was a modest leader who demonstrated real passion and skill, particularly in informing product development.

Over the last three years Heilala has achieved more than 40 per cent annual growth and is now available in 1800 stores, every state in Australia, and in the two biggest Australian supermarket chains.

Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) Service to Export Award winner Murray Denyer of Cooney Lees Morgan is known to many for the integral part he has played in the development of the kiwifruit industry, and his support particularly of the region's start-up businesses through his role as chairman of Priority One and as a board member of Enterprise Angels Inc, Tauranga's angel investor organisation.

Sharp Tudhope Lawyers Best Medium-Large Business winner Automation & Electronics NZ were praised by the judges for their long history of successful exporting through tough times which have seen them re-think their strategy in order to continue to succeed.

The company has challenged, in particular, North American providers of automation controls and 3D scanning and optimisation solutions for the solid wood processing industry.

Today, Automation & Electronics has more than 50 installations - or companies that use their products and processes - in North America and more than 750 installations worldwide.

List of Bay of Plenty ExportNZ Awards Winners
- YOU Travel Best Emerging Business: Manaaki Adventures Ltd
- Page Macrae Engineering Excellence in Innovation: Bluelab Corporation Ltd
- Beca Export Achievement Award: Ruby Grant, general manager sales and marketing, Heilala Vanilla
- Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) Service to Export Award: Murray Denyer
- Sharp Tudhope Lawyers Best Medium-Large Business: Automation & Electronics NZ Ltd