Zespri honoured for US export effort

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri International took home the supreme award at last night's inaugural American Chamber of Commerce awards.

The awards, supported by the Business Herald and United Airlines, recognise local firms that excel in importing from, or exporting to, the United States.

Zespri, which engineered the successful international launch of golden kiwifruit, took the award for goods exporter of the year, while Albany firm Detpak won the importer of the year award. Detpak supplies disposable food packaging products to many leading fast food and supermarket chains.

Other award-winners announced at the ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Helen Clark, included Sinclair Knight Merz, named as services exporter of the year.

Judges said the company provided innovative technology services to clients in a range of markets, with special expertise in the area of geothermal power development.

Auckland company Securefresh Pacific collected the new and innovative exporter of the year award for its marketing of a controlled atmosphere packaging system that extends the shelf life of meat, cheese and powders.

Awards were also given to Ford Motor Company as US investor of the year in NZ and TravelPlan Holidays for its contribution to tourism with the US.