Auckland food and beverage companies have tasted success at the 2015 New Zealand Food Awards.
The New Zealand Food Awards, in association with Massey University, showcase the best of the best of NZ’s food industry and recognise innovation and excellence by NZ’s largest export sector.
Nine of the fifteen awards, won by companies based in the Auckland region, were as follows: Blue Frog Breakfast received the Convenience Award; Dr Feelgood the Indulgent Award; The Pure Food Co. the Massey University Health and Wellness Award; Ahi Ka Tonics the FoodBowl Novel Ingredients Award; Brink’s Chicken the Asure Quality Food Safety and Quality Award; NZ Hothouse the MPI New Cultivars/Primary Producers Award; Waiwera Global the Villa Maria Beverages Award; Brink’s Chicken the Deli Award; and The Lovely Little Food Co. the Frozen Award.
Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED), Auckland’s economic growth agency, supported the 2015 NZ Food Awards and a number of Auckland-based winners and finalists.
Support for winners and finalists has ranged from providing mentoring and training through to administering business capability and research and development funding, and exhibiting at trade shows.
Patrick McVeigh, ATEED GM for business, innovation and skills, says: “Two of the winning companies, Ahi Ka Tonics and Dr Feelgood Limited, exhibited at The Food Show in Auckland last month as part of ATEED’s Auckland on the Menu pop-up exhibition space.
“Another winner, The Pure Food Co, has used The FoodBowl – Te Ipu Kai – a joint venture involving ATEED and Callaghan Innovation – to develop and manufacture its products, while finalist Genevieve’s took part in the Fine Food Australia trade show in Sydney over the weekend with support from ATEED.”
He adds that the success of Auckland companies at this year’s NZ Food Awards demonstrates the strength of the Auckland region’s food and beverage sector.
“Auckland’s food and beverage sector contributes around $3 billion a year to our local economy. As a sector, food and beverage is growing quickly and will be an important source of GDP growth for Auckland through domestic and overseas markets,” says McVeigh.
“Congratulations to all the Auckland companies that won awards or were finalists, all of which are great examples of the high quality products being produced in Auckland that will underpin this growth.”
