A deep sense of community and a desire to help others has resulted in Rotorua businessman Praneel Nair being crowned Regional Master Franchisee of the Year at the recent Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards.
As New Zealand plunged into the first Covid-19 Lockdown, Praneel Nair and his wife Sheetal tooka plunge of their own, establishing a new Clean Planet (a cleaning service) franchise business in their hometown of Rotorua.
With no clients and essentially no brand awareness, the couple turned the lockdown into an opportunity to establish Clean Planet by providing sanitising products and solutions.
About 18 months later, they have grown the business from zero clients to 13 franchisees with more than 60 customers, and now have franchises in Rotorua, Taupō, Tauranga, and Tokoroa.
This growth was acknowledged by the Westpac New Zealand Franchise Award judges, who said the “impressive growth and performance outcomes reflect the hard work Praneel has put into understanding his local market and connecting with it.”
As the Clean Planet regional master franchise owner, Praneel has helped nine local families get their foot on the business ladder by establishing their own Clean Planet franchises.
“I believe communities thrive when people have a stake in them. Small businesses play an important part in this. I love Rotorua, and am thrilled starting and growing my business has given me the opportunity to help others create their own futures by investing in our region.
“The best part of my work is helping local people - who may have previously thought owning their own business was unattainable - establish their own franchise. Seeing my franchisees flourish and carve out opportunities for themselves is an amazing feeling. For me, anything I can do to help them prosper on their business journey, I will do.”
This year, Praneel also threw his support behind the Rotoviti FC team, sponsoring the team and providing their uniforms.
“My wife and I were proud to be able to gift the name Rotoviti to the team. The name brings togetherness in the community, and any Fiji-born migrant living in Rotorua will associate themselves with this name.
“Sport is an amazing way to connect with my community, and I’m grateful that my business allows me to help out in this way.”
Clean Planet chief executive Tony Pattison said Praneel was a deserving winner.
“He has used good old-fashioned hard graft to build up his business from a zero base.”
Science NZ Awards celebrate Scion scientists and research excellence
Scion’s leadership in forestry science, bioplastics research and biotechnology has been celebrated by Scion and its peers at the Science New Zealand Awards.
Scientists from all seven Crown Research Institutes and Callaghan Innovation were represented at the ceremony held in Parliament earlier this week. The awards were in three categories: Early Career Researcher, Lifetime Achievement, and Team. Each Science New Zealand member named a recipient in each category, and a panel of independent judges chose a Supreme Award winner from the 24 awardees.
Scion’s awardee for Individual/Lifetime Achievement was principal researcher Dr Mike Watt for his leadership in forest science; its awardee for Early Career Researcher was biopolymer scientist Dr Angelique Greene; and the awardee for the Team Award was the biotechnology team that collaborated with a company in 2021 to support work that explored an experimental Covid-19 vaccine.
Scion chief executive Dr Julian Elder said the awards showed the depth and breadth of talent across Crown scientists, including Scion, and lifted the profile of their impactful research for New Zealand.
“Most scientists quietly work behind the scenes, but this is a chance to celebrate their achievements and recognise their extraordinary contributions to various industries and New Zealand’s economy.
“For Scion, it’s fantastic to see Mike’s expertise recognised, and the creativity and problem-solving ability that Angelique brings to her work every day at Scion. What’s more, this year’s Scion Team Award recipients showcase our capabilities in biotechnology, a cutting-edge research area at Scion where we are making our mark and delivering wonderful results.”
Scion principal researcher Dr Mike Watt received one of eight Individual/Lifetime Achievement Awards for his distinguished scientific career, spanning more than two decades. During this time, he has made significant contributions to several research areas with notable influence within the areas of forest science, weed management, forest growth modelling and, most recently, remote sensing.
He has produced 173 peer-reviewed publications across a range of topics connected to forestry. His scientific explorations have advanced knowledge of the nation’s forest estates, providing opportunities for industry to translate his research into practice – adding to the health and economic value of plantation forests across Aotearoa.
An Early Career Researcher Award was presented to Dr Angelique Greene, who joined Scion’s Biopolymers and Chemicals team four years ago.
Greene received her PhD in chemistry in 2016 and was already leading several major research projects. That included her Innovation Jumpstart project, which developed into a collaboration with Auckland-based filament manufacturer Imagin Plastics. Greene and Scion have developed a new product targeting users of home 3D printers.
The Team Award was the third category, and Scion’s awardee was the CVC Vaccine Biotech Team. The team partnered with CVC (Covid-19 Vaccine Corporation Ltd) to contribute to the global fight against SARS-CoV-2 by helping to develop and manufacture an experimental Covid-19 vaccine.
The team worked through early stages of the pandemic with CVC to fast-track the production of vaccine prototypes which CVC took into pre-clinical testing. Scion’s team designed fermentation techniques to produce vaccine material, cultivating it in fermenters before purifying it for further testing offshore. Scion’s resources and expertise working with PHA-producing bacteria, combined with the ability to work flexibly in the face of a global health challenge, was critical to CVC achieving proof of concept for their strategy.
Scion team members included Taryn Saggese, Mark West, Alyesha Candy, David Hooks, Diahanna O’Callahan, Christophe Collet, Sumanth Ranganathan, and Gareth Lloyd-Jones.
Urban Task Force announces new scholarship winner
Tauranga society of property and business industry advocates Urban Task Force (UTF) has this month announced the winner of its first annual Leader Development Scholarship, intended to encourage, support, and retain skilled emerging business leaders in the region.
The 2022 scholarship has been awarded to Greg Steele, owner of Steele Projects, a construction project management consultancy, and owner of the Bay of Plenty franchise Navigation Homes.
UTF chairman Scott Adams said the application from Steele stood out from the beginning of the shortlisting and interview process.
“Greg is a really strategic thinker. He came prepared and delivered his messages with a high degree of professionalism.
“His background is diverse, with both the benefits of corporate training and the hands-on experience that comes from small business ownership. The Board were really impressed with his vision for the Bay of Plenty and his social awareness.”
As the first beneficiary of the UTF Leader Development Scholarship, Steele will receive a seat on the UTF Board, a career mentor in his field and a financial contribution towards further study.
Adams said UTF was looking forward to having Steele on the Board over the next 12 months.
“He has extensive experience in engineering underground utilities from his time with Downer Bay of Plenty, and his passion for developing this critical infrastructure is a real asset to our mission to improve the city’s facilities.”
UTF established the annual scholarship earlier this year to support the growth of Tauranga.
Craigs Investment Partners giving generously this Christmas
More than $150,000 has been donated to charitable organisations across the country for the fourth year in a row thanks to Craigs Investment Partners and the Acorn Foundation.
The Acorn Foundation, which regularly distributes funding to deserving charities, worked with Craigs Investment Partners to support the Western Bay of Plenty community and the other 18 areas around New Zealand where there are Craigs offices.
It marks the fourth year where more than $150,000 in donations have been provided to charitable organisations around the country in lieu of Craigs sending out client gifts at Christmas time, with $30,000 donated locally.
Acorn Foundation chief executive Lori Luke said it was proud to work with the Craigs team and Community Foundations of New Zealand to provide essential support to organisations across New Zealand who “are working hard in difficult circumstances”.
“The funding here in the Western Bay of Plenty is very much appreciated from a company who gives so much to our region.”
The Giving Committee, representing the Tauranga-based Craigs employees, selected 12 local organisations working for the benefit of those who need a helping hand this year.
Those included Big Buddy, Good Neighbour, Graeme Dingle Foundation, Awhina House, Live for More, St Peters House, Tauranga Community Foodbank, Takitimu House, Grief Support Services, KidsCan, Kura Kai, and Te Tuinga Whanau Trust.
Marie Peterson, of Kura Kai, said the support was appreciated, “especially at this time of year, when everyone feels that extra pinch in their pockets”.
Waikato welcomes Viet Nam – New Zealand Education Forum
The University of Waikato welcomed members of the Vietnamese parliament and higher education leaders to campus this week for the Viet Nam – New Zealand Education Forum.
Vietnam’s high-ranking delegation was led by H.E. Vương Đình Huệ, president of Vietnam’s National Assembly.
It is the first major state visit from Vietnam since the borders opened after the Covid-19 pandemic, and follows Prime Minister Jacinda Adern’s recent visit to the nation, during which both governments reasserted their commitment to working together as strategic partners.
University of Waikato director of international, Sharon Calvert, said the opportunity to host about 70 members of the delegation at the forum was important for the university and for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.
“The University of Waikato has a long and rich relationship with Vietnam.”
Calvert said the university’s vice-chancellor, Professor Neil Quigley, had been involved in the development of education links between the two countries for more than 20 years.
Waikato launched its first offshore degree programme with the National Economics University in Hanoi, Vietnam last year, which she said was the first New Zealand university to do so.
“Being able to lean into those relationships and bring such a large and high-level delegation to Waikato is really important.
“It’s an opportunity to introduce the Waikato region and share our strengths, not just in education, but also industry, agriculture, trade and research.”
Professor Quigley met with former Vietnamese prime minister and current State President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc in March 2018 in New Zealand. He said scholarships provided by the Vietnamese government to support the completion of higher degrees have been important in supporting many Vietnamese students completing masters’ and PhD degrees in New Zealand.
“Over the last two decades, many thousands of students have come to New Zealand to study, and many New Zealand students have had the opportunity to undertake study tours to Vietnam.
“They are a key bridge to building lifelong connections between our countries.”
A number of Memorandums of Understanding were signed by the attending universities and their Vietnam counterparts to further increase co-operation and show the combined commitment to strategic partnership.
New Zealand’s former Governor-General and current Chancellor of The University of Waikato, Sir Anand Satyanand, addressed the forum, along with Education New Zealand chief executive Grant McPherson and Professor Quigley.
Consumers spent less on goods but more on hospitality in November
Bay of Plenty shoppers have spent a little less than usual in the early stages of the pre-Christmas shopping season, new data shows.
Consumer spending through core retail merchants in Worldline NZ’s payments network reached $213 million in the region for the full month of November 2022, which was down 1.6 per cent on November 2021 but up 11.1 per cent on the pre-Covid month of November 2019.
The spending data also showed Kiwi consumers outlaid less money on goods but more on hospitality – wining, dining, and accommodation – in November, suggesting there was still reason to celebrate, even amid tougher economic times.
With the national total for November reaching $3.18 billion, spending through food and liquor stores was up 3.3 per cent on the same month last year, while spending in other merchant sectors was down 2.2 per cent – this latter pattern being consistent with lower comparative spending recorded during the seven-day sales period that included Black Friday on November 20-26.
The focus now for most merchants was the usual build-up in consumer spending as Christmas Day approaches.
For hospitality merchants, the news was relatively positive. In the week ending December 3, spending through hospitality merchants in Worldline’s payments network averaged $33.6m per day, up 34.7 per cent on the same seven days in 2021, though the average was only marginally above pre-Covid levels of 2019.
This high annual growth rate was due to spending at accommodation merchants almost doubling (up 94.3 per cent) and spending at cafés, bars, and restaurants jumping 29.3 per cent. Historic data shows these merchants in the hospitality sector can also expect a spending boost in the run-up to Christmas.
Among the wider shopping sector, the average daily spend across the core retail sector (excluding hospitality) of $111.9m per day in the week ending December 3 was down five per cent on the same seven days last year. The average spend was also below that of the previous week – which included Black Friday – but the focus will remain on the usual busy shopping weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, monthly regional spending growth between November 2021 and November 2022 through core retail merchants (excluding hospitality) was highest in Southland (7.3 per cent), West Coast (6.5 per cent) and Otago (6.4 per cent), and lowest in Wellington (-3.0 per cent).