Commerce Comment — Summer 2021

COMMERCE COMMENT SUMMER 2021

CORNERSTONE PARTNERS:

SPRING ISSUE — INTRODUCTION

Contents From the CEO ......................................................... 2 NBS .............................................................................. 3 Dancing Sands ........................................................ 4 Businesses for Climate Action ........................... 5 IT in High Demand.................................................. 6 True Leaf Microgreens ..........................................7 Yum. ............................................................................ 8 New Requirements for Term of Trade............. 9 Nelmac Kūmanū Values Refresh .....................10 Tizza Design .............................................................11 Squarekicker .......................................................... 12 Bowater Hyundai.................................................. 13 Where science meets industry ........................ 14 Alaron........................................................................ 15 Tasman Environmental Trust ........................... 16 Creativity is a Variable that Multiplies ........ 17 Ruru Homes ............................................................ 18 Hybrid Bikes ........................................................... 19 Young Enterprise Scheme Winners ............... 20 General Shipping News .................................... 22 Nelson Tasman Climate Forum....................... 23 New Zealand King Salmon................................ 24 Keeping up with Microsoft Teams.................. 25 The Cheesecake Shop ....................................... 26 Cutting Edge Signs .............................................. 27 Jerram Tocker Barron......................................... 28 Nelson Giants ........................................................ 29 Nude Kiwi ............................................................... 30 Red Cross ................................................................31 Neudorf Black....................................................... 32 Noologica................................................................ 33 Life Education Trust............................................ 34 Chia Sisters ............................................................ 35 Gourmet Catering............................................... 36 Nelson Environmental Centre ........................ 37 Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust ................... 38

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From the CEO

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n this edition of the Commerce Comment, we are running an extended feature on all entrants in the Nelson Pine Industries Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. The unfortunate delay in delivering the event means that we can take some time to get to know the people being the businesses and organisations who have taken the time to submit an entry.

As we hurtle towards the end of the year, it is impossible to know what 2022 will bring, but all hope it will be easier as we move to operate under the new “traffic light” system. This year has definitely been a challenge for all of the reasons we know and my hope is that you are able to take some time to recharge over the summer (appreciating this is not so easy for some).

This year has been the first time that I have participated in the judging and I have to say it has been a great experience to get to know some of the businesses in the region. I take my hat off to all of them for the energy, passion and commitment they have, not only to their own business and people, but the region they live and work in as well. That is what makes this such a great place to work.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my hard-working team who are always prepared to go above and beyond.

Our board, who willingly give their time and advice to support me and my team.

Our family of cornerstone sponsors who invest and put their trust in everything we do, and other corporate sponsors who partner with us to deliver value to the business community of Nelson Tasman.

And of course, to you, the members of the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce, we all wish you a wonderful Christmas, and a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Thanks must also go to my fellow judges: Lester Binns, Euan McIntosh, Sharon McGuire, Paul Mackay, Al Dunn, and Jonny Hendriksen. They bring a vast range of experience and expertise and take the process very seriously. Suffice it to say, the judging this year was extremely difficult with many outstanding entries and there was much heated debate and discussion throughout the day.

Now it just remains for us to celebrate and announce the winners at our gala dinner on 25 February 2022. The change of date does mean that we now have a few tickets for sale, so if you missed out before, you can purchase them here.

Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you all in 2022.

Ngā mihi,

AliBoswijk Chief Executive Chamber of Commerce

Tony Cadigan, NBS CEO (left) with Prue Young, Intensive Care Paramedic for the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust.

Top of the south communities to the rescue - again!

Thank you, to all our clients and the wider Nelson Tasman community. You have once again dug deep to support one of the region’s most vital services, the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter.

We are pleased to be able to announce the NBS Rescue Helicopter Appeal, which ran throughout October, raised a total of $64,273.14 for the helicopter rescue service, providing a much-needed boost in what has been a difficult year.

Chief Executive - Tony Cadigan said the entire NBS team had worked hard to facilitate the October appeal and were proud of the amount raised.

“It’s a cause we all feel strongly about. The crew at Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust do an incredible job and, as we can see from the huge level of community support, the people across Nelson Tasman acknowledge that.

“While times are tough for many, our region has shown that this service and its contribution to the wider community matters”.

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Nelson Building Society | PO Box 62, Nelson 7040 | 0800 101 700 | www.nbs.co.nz | NBS is not a registered bank

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — DANCING SANDS

SMALL BUSINESSMEDIUM BUSINESS AWARD AWARD ENTRANT

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ancing Sands Distillery is based in the beautiful and remote corner of New Zealand’s South Island: Golden Bay.

Their small distillery team distills, bottles, labels, and packages every single bottle of Dancing Sands gin by hand from their distillery on Commercial Street — the heart of Tākaka.

From here their gins are shipped all over New Zealand and around the world. You’ll find Dancing Sands gins in over 500 outlets throughout New Zealand, and six overseas markets; UK, USA, Canada, Singapore, Japan and the Philippines.

They take their name from the Dancing Sands Spring, one of the fresh water springs within Golden Bay’s Te Waikoropupū Springs. These springs contain the clearest natural spring water ever measured.

Dancing Sands like to think of themselves as perfecters of taste: quality is at the forefront of everything they do. They’re on a mission to create the perfect gin by crafting spirits they themselves want to drink: gins with flavours that can take people on a journey of adventure and discovery.

Discount Code: Dancing Sands are offering 15% off for Chamber members for the month of December. Online only, not applicable at retailers or their cellar door.

Code | NTCC15

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COMMUNICATION PARTNER — BCA

Businesses for Climate Action ramping up under new leadership

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usinesses for Climate Action has appointed Jodie Kuntzsch as its first Chief Action Officer.

Kuntzsch, a business strategist and researcher by trade, took the helm in August. Her appointment ramps up the group’s efforts to galvanize and connect Te Tauihu businesses as they tackle the opportunities and challenges of climate change, with the highest priority onboarding local businesses to measure and reduce emissions.

With a background in New Zealand’s primary industries and the global seafood industry, Kuntzsch brings a wealth of experience in understanding the intricacies of businesses, particularly the complexity and diversity businesses face through a changing climate. She

now brings her unique focus on building commercial collaborations to solve environmental and social challenges to the Te Tauihu business community.

Kuntzsch says, “Businesses are telling us that it’s confusing to know what to do or where to start when it comes to climate change. We recognise there’s a lot of information out there and we see our role as simplifying the space and connecting people to practical solutions to take climate action.

“I’m extremely proud to be leading Businesses for Climate Action into this next era of partnership and enablement with our business community.”

Sign up to receive their newsletters: www.businessesforclimateaction.co.nz

Businesses for Climate Action new Chief Action Officer, Jodie Kuntzsch.

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COMMUNICATION PARTNER — NMIT

IT in high demand An increasing shortage of computing and information technology graduates is creating frustration for local tech businesses desperate for staff.

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peaking at a recent meeting of NMIT’s Computing and IT Industry Advisory Committee, Datacom Business Manager (Nelson) Grant Newport said Nelson IT firms are crying out for staff.

“There were four other Nelson businesses besides ourselves at the meeting all saying the same thing; we need staff badly,” he said, “There is a lot of movement within the industry and consequently this is driving up salaries.”

“There’s so many jobs and so much money out there at the moment, it’s a great time to be getting into IT.”

A report from the Westpac Bank shows Covid-19 has accelerated the demand for ICT products, as businesses looked to lessen the effects of the pandemic and shift their businesses online.

The ICT sector currently employs about 54,000 people in New Zealand.

Newport says the computing skill shortage isn’t limited to one particular area.

“It’s across the board including software development, core networking and infrastructure. There is also a need for people to work in business intelligence, data and analytics areas.”

With new intakes starting in 2022, there’s never been a better time to study computing and information technology at NMIT. The Bachelor of Information Technology is a professional degree designed to prepare you for the workforce in a range of information technology related jobs.

The Graduate Diploma in Information Technology is for you if already have a degree or extensive business experience and are looking to enhance your professional career. This programme will give you an opportunity to extend your knowledge into a specialised field without having to complete another degree.

With a background in sales and communication as trainer for the Banking Academy in Cologne, Germany and roles in both operational and people management, Angelika has maintained her focus on empowering people through highly engaging experiential workshops and 1:1 coaching.

Angelika empowers people to express themselves with confidence. Feeling capable to express yourself, sell ideas, services or products in a confident and engaging manner is the door-opener to success in business & life.

021 110 5395 | www.abcangelikabarnescoaching.com

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ABC Angelika Barnes Coaching will propel your personal and professional growth, making communication a hallmark of your success.

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — TRUE LEAF MICROGREENS

SMALL BUSINESSINNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD AWARD ENTRANT

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e are Dan and Jo, the growers and innovators behind True Leaf Microgreens, a vertical microfarm business located in a quiet and beautiful valley in Hira, North Nelson.

Like many New Zealand grassroots, startup companies, True Leaf Microgreens was founded from very humble beginnings.

It was in 2018 when we began growing microgreens from inside a ridiculously small makeshift greenhouse which got flattened

by Cyclone Fehi a few weeks after it was constructed.

Undeterred, we constructed two more temporary, but much sturdier buildings in which we experimented with designing no less than six different growing systems.

Fast forward to the present and you will now find us successfully growing our flavoursome microgreens in our new indoor vertical microfarm. Our microfarm is unlike any other in the vertical farming industry as we have designed and developed our own unique and complete growing system, utilizing air pruning techniques (APT), which the microgreens respond incredibly well to.

Dan has always been the creative innovator; ideas seem to continually sprout up from his mind as energetically as the greens growing within our microfarm.

Because of this we are constantly thinking about how we can improve or re-imagine our business in order to be more efficient and sustainable as we continue to grow and work towards revitalizing communities all across Aotearoa New Zealand.

We enjoy growing nutritious, immunity boosting food from our microfarm here in Nelson and are proud to offer our services as an innovative, sustainable and resilient local food producer.

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — YUM.

SMALL BUSINESSSMALL BUSINESS AWARD AWARD ENTRANT

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um sustainably produces beautiful, grain-free breakfasts that taste amazing, sustain the body, and are good for the planet.

Based right in Nelson, Yum offers delicious, high quality breakfast options that are a complete meal in every bite! Chef crafted, each ingredient is thoughtfully curated based on how and where it is grown, resulting in a fresh taste, unique to anything else on the shelves.

All Yum products are gluten free, grain free/Paleo, dairy free, with good quality plant based proteins and healthy fats. Whilst known for its artisan granolas, Yum just recently won the coveted NZ Artisan Awards for its brand new, Vanilla Bean & Almond Pancake/Waffle Mix. Beautifully fluffy, the mix makes protein rich pancakes (or waffles) while being low carb, with zero added sugars.

Yum is most proud of its mission to reduce any negative impact whilst looking after the community and planet. Yum offers locals a convenient way to buy their favourite granolas, using their own containers, reducing the need for packaging with its local Honesty Box. It has also just made the switch to earth-friendly, recyclable, compostable packaging that removes 86% plastics from its packaging.

If you are looking for a fresh way to start your day, that feels good all day, grab some Yum for your pantry.

Healthy breakfasts and healthy snacking feels great, while supporting local and looking after our planet.

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Discount Code: Yum is offering 15% off granola

for Chamber members. Online only.

Code | CHAMBER21

COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER — PIT T & MOORE

New requirements for Terms of Trade and other contracts Rhys Thompson, Associate Mariam Matti, Solicitor Pitt & Moore www.pittandmoore.co.nz

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p until recently businesses have been relatively free to include aggressive and unfair terms and conditions in their terms of trade and standard form contracts used with other businesses.

Recent amendments to the Fair Trading Act 1986 (FTA) mean that all businesses will now need to review and update their terms of trade and other standard form commercial contracts to ensure they do not include unfair terms.

What types of contracts are caught?

The amendments are targeted at preventing an unfair contracts regime in small (i.e. with a contract value of $250,000 or less per annum) standard form business-to-business contracts (B2B contracts). All businesses using standard form contracts which have an annual contract value of $250,000 or less should be reviewed. Standard form contracts used with consumers are already subject to the unfair contracts regime and have been for some time.

What is an unfair contract term?

The Commerce Commission has existing guidance available on its website setting out its view as to what amounts to an unfair contractual term in relation to consumer contracts. That guidance is also helpful in relation to B2B contracts. Further guidance is expected to be released soon.

Obvious examples of unfair terms include heavily one-sided termination provisions, unilateral variation provisions and limitations and exclusions of liability. The existing guidance suggests that all terms including seemingly innocuous terms have the ability to be unfair.

Factors a court will take into account when determining if a contractual term is unfair include: •

•

•

whether the term would cause a significant imbalance of power between the parties’ contractual rights and obligations; whether the contract term is not reasonably necessary to protect a legitimate interest of the party whose benefit it is for; and whether the term would cause a detriment of some sort.

The extent of transparency and overall terms of the contract are also relevant.

What are the consequences of using an unfair contract term?

From 16 August 2022 any unfair terms in B2B contracts will be in breach of the FTA. As with many other offences of the FTA, the consequences of conviction are substantial and may result in a fine of up to $200,000 for an individual, or up to $600,000 for a business.

Key takeaways

Businesses need to ensure their existing

terms of trade comply with the new regime. Because of the tight timeframes and volume of work the amendments have created, we recommend instructing a specialist commercial lawyer to review your terms of trade as soon as possible.

As the new requirements significantly curtail the ability of businesses to protect themselves through one-sided contractual terms, we also recommend speaking to your insurer to ensure your existing levels of insurance cover are adequate.

If you would like your existing commercial contracts reviewed for compliance with the new FTA regulations, please contact Pitt & Moore and ask for the Commercial Team.

Phone reception on (03) 548 8349 or email rhys.thompson@pittandmoore.co.nz or mariam.matti@pittandmoore.co.nz.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is of a general nature and is not intended as legal advice. It is important that you seek legal advice that is specific to your circumstances.

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COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER — NELMAC KŪMĀNU

Nelmac Kūmānu values refresh… the journey begins

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elmac Kūmānu recognise that organisational values embody who we are. Values act as cultural cornerstones and unseen drivers that impact our employee experience as well as the relationships we develop with customers and key stakeholders.

Last year we celebrated our 25th anniversary. Over this time, we’ve grown significantly in size, scope, and reach, however the core values that originally defined the business have remained the same.

With our values representing the essence of our identity and the core of our organisation’s brand, at this important milestone we’ve asked ourselves, are our values still relevant and meaningful, and do they resonate with our people? From these questions it became clear that now is the perfect time to review and refresh our core values.

Rather than a top-down approach that relies on employee buy-in after decisions have been made, Chief Executive Jane Sheard has taken a co-design approach to engage and involve all employees.

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Jane recognised that mana-enhancing inclusiveness would achieve the objective of employee engagement from the outset.

Multiple workshops coordinated and facilitated by People and Culture are being held across the region giving everyone in Nelmac Kūmānu a voice and an opportunity to collaborate with their peers, to be seen and heard.

Our diverse workforce operates in greenspaces – parks and reserves; conservation – native reforestation, tracks and trails, biosecurity; water – 3 Waters infrastructure and wastewater treatment; and commercial – building services, landscape architecture and development.

Many of our employees have not had the opportunity to contribute on such a scale and in such an inclusive way before.

Feedback through the workshops to date has highlighted the pride our people take in the work they do impacting the wellbeing our local communities and the importance of Kaitiakitanga, the environmental guardianship of the communities we live, work and play in.

The objective of this values refresh is to create a lasting positive impact on our culture, enhancing our employee, customer and stakeholder experience.

Having clearly defined, living, breathing, shared values will give us values alignment at all levels of the organisation, positively impacting our culture and in turn resulting in high-performing teams and a more resilient organisation.

The data gathered in the design workshops will be analysed and further refined to ensure a widely shared set of values that everyone can get behind. Our refreshed values will be embedded and celebrated in 2022 and beyond.

Nelmac Kūmānu recognises that a sustainable competitive advantage starts with good people aligned with and upholding our values, connecting with our strong culture, and driving our purpose through a shared vision.

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — TIZZA DESIGN

SMALL BUSINESS AWARD

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izza Design doesn’t just make things look pretty.

If you ask us, you can only measure the quality of design by one thing: if it works. And if it works, is it also contributing to something bigger, beyond your bottom line?

The past two years have been challenging in the world of commerce, but we feel lucky to be in a position to help Kiwi business owners either start a new business, revive their current one, increase their scale and performance, or contribute towards our business community in another way.

It’s certainly a unique design challenge to translate beers, their tasting notes, and their street cred into highly-detailed scenes that transport you somewhere else when you take a drink. The creative process involved identifying the feelings we wanted consumers to attach to each product, and likening them to experiences or environments that amplify those feelings. This was then paired with artwork that considers every little detail down to the graffiti on the skatepark ramp of Dogtown, or the blooming pōhutakawa at your beachside Tasman campsite — and just like that, you’ve got a product line unlike anything else on the shelf that your target market not only connects with, but that also encourages them to think about craft beer differently.

Sprig + Fern marketing executive Sinead Ogilvie says, “The rebrand fully aligned with the energy of the business but most importantly allowed us to capture more market attention on-shelf, convert more customers, and successfully compete both product-on-product and brandon-brand on the nationwide retail and

WEST COAST IPA 888ML • 5.9% ABV BREWED & PACKAGED BY: SPRIG + FERN BREWING CO. 53 BEACH RD, RICHMOND, NELSON

REFRIGERATE

4.1

STANDARD DRINKS PER BOTTLE

NZ PILSNER 888ML • 4.8% ABV BREWED & PACKAGED BY: SPRIG + FERN BREWING CO. 53 BEACH RD, RICHMOND, NELSON

REFRIGERATE

3.4

STANDARD DRINKS PER BOTTLE

INNER LOCNAZLpilPsner

SEE BASE OF LABEL FOR BEST BEFORE

A notable example of “design that works” was the recently executed brand refresh of Sprig + Fern. Sprig +Fern is a high-profile local business, one of New Zealand’s most-awarded breweries in the craft beer industry, and a powerfully women-led, community-minded business to boot. They not only make great beer, but are sustainably-minded, frequently

The defining characteristic of their new look is the extent to which it has captured and communicated iconic New Zealand scenes and culture, linking each of their beers to the backyard they are brewed in, all while still delivering a distinct design in an industry that calls for something different.

At the end of the day, creativity takes a deep understanding of business, and of people, in order to result in design that works. And in the words of Robert Peters, designer and author: “Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.”

SEE BASE OF LABEL FOR BEST BEFORE

Owner Hayley Ottman says, “There’s simply no better feeling than seeing someone’s dream materialise in a signwritten van, survive a pandemic, put New Zealand on the world stage, or change the way we think about an important issue. It’s incredibly rewarding to feel like you’re using an unparalleled standard of design to help make the world a better place, one business at a time.”

We worked with their team to shift the brand from Sprig & Fern Brewery to Sprig + Fern Brewing Co., complete with a logo refresh and full redesign of their product line that has since been implemented across their brewery, extended product lines in supermarkets and liquor stores, and in 14 taverns across New Zealand.

hospitality scale against larger, overseas commercial breweries.”

SEE BASE OF LABEL FOR BEST BEFORE

Since 2018, we’ve been providing highperformance strategic design services to Kiwi businesses in environmentallyfriendly and socially-innovative pursuits.

Whether it be through branding, website design, print and digital marketing, or spatial design, we help small-to-medium sized businesses and non-profits achieve their potential, drive the changes we all wish to see, and to look good while they’re at it!

collaborate with other local businesses, and support local sport and community groups.

PREMIUM L AGER 888ML • 6.5% ABV BREWED & PACKAGED BY: SPRIG + FERN BREWING CO. 53 BEACH RD, RICHMOND, NELSON

REFRIGERATE

4.6

STANDARD DRINKS PER BOTTLE

TaSmAn rEsErVe PrEmIuM LaGeR

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — SQUAREKICKER

START UP SMALL BUSINESS START-UP BUSINESS BUSINESS AWARD AWARD ENTRANT

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t the start of 2020, Hannah was working as a photographer and Nick, with one part-time employee, was running a web design business, Frontier Media. Little did they know in a few short months they would be launching a whole new software venture.

As a web designer, Nick noticed other designers becoming increasingly frustrated with the inability to create websites as they imagined, without technical challenges. He thought there must be a better way and started looking into a solution and playing with some ideas.

When the New Zealand 2020 lockdown was announced, like many businesses the web design work dropped suddenly and Nick saw this as the perfect opportunity to work on a solution.

Unlike many other web design platforms, Squarespace is a closed system. There is no backend server access, which is required for integrating 3rd party plugins and apps used by other open source platforms such as WordPress and Shopify.

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This meant a new way had to be developed to integrate a software extension into Squarespace, in a way that felt natural and secure for users.

Nick and Rowan, who was employed part time with Frontier Media, spent around a month discussing ideas via Zoom with Rowan frequently coding in his hammock using 4G wifi. By the end of the month, the foundations of a groundbreaking solution was formed: SquareKicker.

“We knew SquareKicker had the potential to provide a whole new avenue for designers and completely disrupt the current web design market. We took a deep breath, got an extension on our mortgage and jumped all in.”

Hannah, Nick’s wife and business partner, shut down her photography business and joined the team. Nat, who had been made redundant due to Covid 19, joined as the fourth member of the team and set about developing a secure backend, payment gateway, and user dashboard for the extension.

Since its release in October 2020, SquareKicker has been installed on over 3500 websites worldwide, a number that is growing daily with markets in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. SquareKicker users range from DIY business owners to large design agencies all of whom see the opportunity to work faster and more creatively.

Determined to establish a long lasting company, Nick and Hannah have taken time with the team to set company values which include things like, people first and embracing curiosity. “We felt strongly that our success should be measured by more than our financial success but also in the enjoyment of our team and the usefulness of our product.”

Thanks to the curious nature of the founding team and the courage they took to implement the solution, even during uncertain business times, SquareKicker has become the first design extension software for Squarespace and is paving the way for a whole new level of development within the Squarespace platform.

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Where science meets industry: the Cawthron Aquaculture Park Have you ever driven out to the Glen, or strolled along the Boulder Bank path and wondered what happens at the Cawthron Aquaculture Park? This world-class research and technology centre is purpose-built for aquaculture research, education and commercial development, and is helping transform shellfish and finfish farming in New Zealand.

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he Cawthron Aquaculture Park (known as CAP) is the centre for shellfish aquaculture research in New Zealand and is also home to the Finfish Research Centre which currently focuses on the world’s largest Chinook, or King salmon, which is the main finfish species farmed in New Zealand.

Our research facilities at CAP help to deliver impactful, commercially relevant science to support the development and sustainable growth of New Zealand’s aquaculture industry. With around 70 percent of this industry based in Te Tau Ihu (top of the south), our science capability is in increasing demand. CAP also houses shellfish industry partners Moana (a major New Zealand oyster producer) and SPATnz (New Zealand’s major producer of mussel spat), as well as NMIT teaching labs.

We have been working with New Zealand’s shellfish industry for more than two decades to develop hatchery technology that provides industry with a 14

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quality seed supply to ongrow, rather than having to rely on wild caught juveniles (called spat) which can be unpredictable in both timing and quality.

As a result of Cawthron’s selective breeding research and subsequent commercialisation by our industry partners, New Zealand’s mussel industry is now seeing growth rates that are on average nearly 70% faster than wild mussels. For the oyster industry, hatchery technology has enabled oysters to be produced that are able to be harvested year-round to supply live product and reduce seasonality. On top of this, the selectively-bred oysters are resilient to disease and have been bred for their appearance so are desired by oyster connoisseurs and top end restaurants.

Meanwhile, our Finfish Research Centre has supported improved King salmon production efficiency and enhanced feeding practices. Cawthron has been collaborating with industry partners to increase our understanding of King

salmon, carrying out research to improve fish nutrition, feed conversion rates and overall fish health. Seven years later, farmers are now using feed diets they believe to be nutritionally superior, and changing their feeding and management practices to improve profitability and environmental outcomes.

This year, the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, opened the Cawthron National Algae Research Centre - Ngā Pūkaha o Tangaroa – the lungs of Tangaroa at CAP. Thanks to funding from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund, the Centre will enable Cawthron to expand its algae research to help meet growing global demand for algae-based products and solutions. This new facility is predominantly focused on investigating the economic and environmental value of different seaweed species to help support the establishment of an exciting new sector in New Zealand.

It’s hard to believe so much activity is generated from our park just 15 minutes north of Nelson City, and we can all feel rightly proud of the impact of the aquaculture science being delivered here.

Aquaculture is regarded as one of the world’s most sustainable forms of food production, and our research – and our region – is helping to create a better future.

LARGE BUSINESS AWARD

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD

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here’s a business empire sited right under our Nelson noses and it’s been quietly expanding customers, production volumes and turnover for 25 years.

If you don’t know anything about Alaron it’s because their job is not to stand out but to make products for businesses that do. Alaron is a behind-the-scenes success story, manufacturing dietary supplements and natural skincare products for internationally-recognised brands. The Tahunanui company of 180 full time staff has clients you will have heard of, but never from Alaron — confidentiality contracts prevent name-dropping.

“We manufacture products on behalf of brand marketers that are well known, multinational companies domestically and internationally, and we also do work with small-to-medium businesses and startups too. So we provide for the full spectrum.”

Claire Quin is General Manager of Business Development. She identifies three key areas that have set Alaron apart from others. Trust, service and certifications.

“We’re very upfront, we’re very open, we’re very direct. We have a wide range of quality licences that allow clients to have the assurances that they need to put trust in us to make their products, because we’re making them on behalf of their brands.

Their internationally-recognised licences are diverse and plentiful and include GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certification from Medsafe (part of New Zealand’s Ministry of Health), MPI’s Risk Management Programme, organic, kosher and halal certifications, U.SA Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Medical Device Registrations. They hold ten international licences in all, including one that no one else can lay claim to in this neck of the woods.

“We’re also Australasia’s only NSF Certified facility. This allows us to manufacture products that are registered with NSF in the United States confirming they don’t contain any banned substances.

“It’s a guarantee for professional athletes that if they take those products they’re not going to fail any drug tests.

That’s an important certification for us and we’re proud that we are the only facility in Australasia with this certification,” says Claire.

Business has taken off recently. One of those unforeseeable Covid-19 anomalies you never plan for.

“Because we’ve got such a wide variety of clients, when they all grow, we grow

significantly... Our customer base was growing prior to Covid but with Covid, people are taking their health and wellbeing a lot more seriously and they’re looking for general health and wellbeing products and because we’re in that supplement and natural skincare space it’s just had a massive impact.”

She says that the organisation is very proud to be locally owned and operated.

Alaron has moved to become a living wage employer this year with official accreditation the final step in the process.

Alaron has also started their sustainability journey and is currently installing the largest solar panel array in the top of the south.

Claire says they’re doing it to be good business citizens, but it’s important for their customers too. Many have already achieved carbon zero status and with Alaron also reducing its carbon footprint it will see their customers get closer to carbon positive.

Alaron is entering the Business Awards for the first time this year, and is extremely proud to be supporting the local community starting with their commitment to the well-being of their staff.

“We do what we say we’re going to do.

We’ve built up a 20-plus years’ ethos around how we service our customers.

We don’t always get that right and if we don’t, then we own that and we work through it and often come out stronger with our customers. So they choose us because of the trust factor, the customer service and our quality licences.”

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — TASMAN ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

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ouldn’t it be brilliant if every person living in Nelson Tasman woke up each day to native birdsong? Could see flourishing families of whio along the Motueka River? Or spot tracks of the elusive banded rail criss-crossing around the Waimeha/ Waimea Inlet?

That’s Tasman Environmental Trust’s dream: healthy, diverse ecosystems woven through our region’s landscape.

TET has been a force of nature in Nelson Tasman for over 21 years. We’re currently managing 20 conservation projects worth $7 million; working with communities, iwi, local and central government, landowners and businesses to transform landscapes across the region.

Our smallest project is the Rare Plants initiative, a collaboration between DOC, Titoki Nursery and community volunteers to collect seed and propagate rare plants species in the Tasman region for future planting into protected areas.

Restoring the Moutere, with a budget of $2.85 million for riparian fencing and restoration, is our largest project. This catchment-scale undertaking encompasses 22,000 ha and 524 km of waterways.

Big or small, at the centre of every project you’ll find amazing volunteers. These generous folk rock up every week to plant, weed, check traplines, or share their home baking with everyone else.

Our collective mahi—remediating and protecting freshwater systems, restoring habitat to support larger populations of native wildlife, increasing biodiversity, and making degraded land beautiful—is taking place on the micro and macro levels. Its impact on the Nelson Tasman environment is huge but its full scale will only truly be appreciated in years to come. Come and join us!

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COMMUNICATION PARTNER — DOWNING CREATIVE MARKETING

Tony Downing Owner and Director Downing Creative Marketing www.downing.nz

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he headline above is a favourite quote from Gary Vaynerchuk (marketing legend) about the power of creativity to make a huge difference in your marketing comms. Here are a few more thoughts that I find helpful when it comes to creativity and marketing.

Rely on your uncertainty I’m not sure who said it, but my favourite quote that describes the creative process is: “Build your bridge as you walk over it.”

Keep your options open to start with.

Prepare for the feeling of uncertainty and going into the unknown. Believe that you will get to the other side with an idea that works.

Ideas don’t often come in a flash of blinding light. They start as a murky impression of unformed creative sludge.

Ideas need to be nurtured and refined, pulled apart and knocked into shape.

Then they need to be added to and built upon before they see the light of day and shown to others. In these early stages, there is a great deal of vulnerability and uncertainty but that is ok. When you are in the business of coming up with creative ideas for a living it is better to move from

uncertainty to certainty, keeping your options open. If you start in certainty, you will often end up in uncertainty because you have not been open to all your options at the beginning.

Relevance is better than originality When it comes to creative communication, trying to be original can be one of the biggest hindrances to creativity. It’s better to be relevant and connect effectively with your audience rather than trying to be original, because most of us will never be truly original.

Pablo Picasso is often quoted as saying: “Good artists copy, great artists steal.”

I don’t think he was promoting stealing ideas. That can get you into all sorts of trouble. He was exaggerating to make a point. We all rely on influences and inspiration from others to come up with our ideas. Our job is to add our own twists and inflections to make the ideas relevant to the audience we are talking to.

Being curious and open to new ideas is important to keep your creativity fresh.

Make a regular habit of looking for new ideas. Keep up to date with what is at the forefront of your industry. I am interested in a variety of magazines and websites across a few industries not just in my category. I am constantly grazing for fresh ideas or something I can include in

my world to make my ideas the best they can be.

The more you create, the more creative you get Creativity without action is a waste of brainpower. Someone once said that “Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” I still think that is true.

When it comes to creativity, “use it or lose it.” That is why I love this quote from John Steinbeck: “Creativity doesn’t come out of thin air. It comes from practice. The more you do something, the better you get at doing it. If you sit around wishing you could paint or play music, you’ll never make much progress.”

There are no shortcuts when it comes to creativity. Be prepared to do the hard work to bring your inspiration to life.

To finish, here is one of my favourite quotes from Bob Dylan: “Life isn’t about finding yourself or finding anything. Life is about creating yourself and creating things.”

So just do it!

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START UP BUSINESS AWARD

ruru homes is a small, yet fast growing and dedicated company creating tiny homes, relocatable buildings, cabins, baches, on a high level for an affordable price in Motueka, NZ. From the materials to workmanship, our company values and ethics, to vision and customer service, we pride ourselves in perfection. We replicate our designs, committed to high end quality, top class workmanship, clever design and high standards - all on a tiny footprint.

At ruru homes, we value our team, contractors and everyone contributing to the success of this company. We all work together on ‘the flight of the ruru’.

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Our goals and vision for the future is creating opportunities in the community, we are making sure ‘small’ is being seen. Our near future projects are a Tiny Home village in Motueka and the Landshare Project. We endeavor to connect landowners with small home owners and future ruru clients to support land lease / home ownership opportunities.

“The ruru is flying and we are excited to share our journey with you!”

>>> Fran & Daniel Hulsmeyer Owners of Ruru Homes :

We are predominantly using NZ Made building materials, creating a sustainable footprint in the community, with long term, permanent, above living wage employment opportunities!

Our rurus consist of a two story tiny home, a single story home and a sleepout, all lovingly made in Motueka, Nelson Bays. We can deliver our rurus nationwide, over hills, crossing the cook straight and beyond.

licence number 807246

www.ruruhomes.nz hello@ruruhomes.nz +64 (0) 3 528 0043

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — HYBRID BIKES

SMALL BUSINESSMEDIUM BUSINESS AWARD AWARD ENTRANT

around the world and drafted a business plan for his venture around this market.

“I have a vision to make Hybrid Bikes a national and international brand. The top 3 e-bike brands in New Zealand, based on Consumer magazine’s testing are 2 global billion-dollar companies and Hybrid Bikes e-bikes designed and built out of a garage in Nelson. This I feel this is an outstanding achievement and encourages me to push it to the next level.”

Hybrid Bikes is the story of a business that was never planned, but which evolved from a need to fill a gap in the market, and to help its founder Frank Witowski on the road to recovery, physically and mentally, after a cancer diagnosis.

“w

hen I started to look for an e-bike, I could not find what I really wanted so I decided I should design and build my own carbon fibre e-bike.”

This, despite constant, well-meaning advice to not build in carbon fibre because of the cost over alloy – a mainstream material in bike frame construction.

Frank ignored the advice and 17 months after forming the business idea, he had his first container full of e-bikes in Nelson.

“My business model is simple. Design two frames (low bar and high bar) which are versatile enough to be modified into eight different e-bike models. Now we have a range of models including urban bikes, mountain bikes, all-terrain bikes, race bikes and gravel bikes - all based on my two carbon frames.”

Frank says only three other bicycle companies in the world design carbon fibre cruiser and commuter e-bikes like I do. The high cost of manufacturing the handmade frames is a reason for the niche product.

“I can get only eight frames a day over a 24-hour period out of one mould which is a very slow process considering you can do at least 100 alloy frames at the same time welded by a robot. Based on those numbers all the big companies only use carbon fibre frames for high performance road or full suspension mountain bikes, which sell for between NZ$9,000 - NZ$26,000.”

Frank says he saw an opportunity to target a niche market in New Zealand and

In October, the business was also crowned Supreme Winner in the David Awards, celebrating New Zealand’s small, home and microbusinesses.

Frank says the big difference between his garage and a retail shop is there is less distraction and more time to focus on the customer.

“This operating model is the best way to be available to our customers. Our customers can call me at any time of the day and know they will always get first class service, and if it is urgent they can pop around and see me straight away.”

The customer experience starts when the frame comes out of the box, which allows the customer to have input into the e-bike build and include features of their choice.

Frank says allowing them to take ownership of the design helps them feel valued. They can ride away with something they are proud to call their own.

With the New Zealand market well underway, Frank has set his sights on Australian roads, and after that, the world’s biggest e-bike market, Europe.

An ambitious vision, but the only thing that’s lightweight about Frank’s future plans, will be his e-carbon bikes.

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Well done to YES winners

C

ongratulations to Three Bays Jellies from Waimea College, and well done Sam McDonald, Nicole Byrman, Jared Peterson and Sophie Calder who are the region’s champion YES business for 2021. They will go on to compete and represent Nelson Marlborough in the virtual national finals in December.

Three Bays Jellies used a problem which was an industry need. Orchardists stuck with waste kiwifruit. The team came up with a use, turning the fruit into an alternative to jam — their product is a jelly that is made using 25% less sugar than jams.

Their product is not just tasty but healthy too, being high in vitamin C as well as being rich with other vitamins and antioxidants. Compared to other competitors who mainly export, Three Bays Jellies research led them to target the local New Zealand market.

Their teacher Andrea Phillips said YES gave the students such a rewarding experience with being able to engage

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with the local business community.

Their mentor Robyn Patterson of GoHort said they showed good teamwork and perseverance, were good at problem solving to meet the objectives of the project, developed skills as a team and personally and believes the business skills they gained will be able to be applied for the rest of their lives.

Regional winners and winners of Try New Stuff, Innovation Award, Three Bays Jellies. Teacher Andrea Phillips, Nicole Byrman, Sophie Calder, Sam McDonald, Jared Peterson, and Robyn Patterson of GoHort who mentored the team.

YOUNG ENTERPRISE SCHEME — REGIONAL YES WINNERS

Love What You Do: Environmental Award

Make It Real: Best Annual Review Award

Sun Stitch, Nayland College

Seedlings Collection, Nayland College

Teacher Murray King, MacKenzie Dyer and Danny Ryan.

Absent: Ruby Burr, Connor Johnston, Brodie Seelen and Ollie Walker due to a clash with awards night.

Teacher Murray King, Lily Barlow, Ariel De Aguiar, Zivana Freeman and Liv Igaran with sponsor Mike Drummond representing CAANZ.

Connect and Collaborate Award

Aim for Awesome: Creativity Award

Outta the Box, Nelson College for Girls

HYP’D, Marlborough Girls College

Catherine Courtney and Hayley McKenzie and teacher Symon Claridge.

Special thanks to our judges panel

Andara Irisha, Oscia Hope, Frister Ligaliga, Thai Mai, Jay Oliver, and Amber Vallance with their mentor, Kamni Raju-Russell.

Sarah Derecourt of Mediaworks, James Pinner of NZ Growth Capital Partners, Lester Binns and Chris Williams of Burger Culture

COMMERCE COMMENT

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COMMUNICATION PARTNER — TNL INTERNATIONAL

GENERAL SHIPPING NEWS

Rich Percy Regional Business Manager TNL International www.tnlintl.com

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he pandemic has continued to affect the global supply chain, which remains stretched to bursting at most ports around the world and includes all facets of logistics in New Zealand.

The freight business is not getting any easier and our team is spending considerable time on many bookings for both import and export because of the continual changes in vessel timetables or where vessels are omitting ports altogether or where shipping lines are simply stopping to take bookings until the backlog has cleared.

The TNL operations team has been doing a great job for our customers, but sometimes the shipping line does not advise a change quickly enough, which can be frustrating when trying to plan shipments.

We are seeing some products no longer viable for an export market because of the freight cost making the goods uncompetitive overseas. We advise the shipping line of the client’s situation and fight for them to reduce rates so the client can sell in that overseas country.

Unfortunately, we are finding instances where a shipping line has someone in a far-off country making a global decision about a trade lane and all they look at is the demand on that trade lane. The

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shipping line’s head office then advises the New Zealand office the new rates without any thought about the client’s circumstances or the markets and commodities concerned.

I understand that some shipping lines advise the only way to reduce the amount of freight moving is by increasing the rates, but this does not help small (and even some large) exporters or importers struggling to make their products viable in a market they have been sending to for a long time.

In some cases, our clients have supported the same shipping line for a decade who then implements an across-the-board mass increase with no thought for the individual client or their commodity.

Some of the current situations are outlined below: Southeast Asia Rates are still high and have not decreased yet.

China/North Asia The massive rates increase in recent months seem to have slowed down, but costs remain extremely high from all ports.

We monitor changes in rates every week.

Bookings are taking around three weeks to secure on average, but sometimes less.

Australia Imports Space continues to be a challenge, especially for FCL.

USA Difficult. The good news is that some lines are reinstating Oakland (San Francisco).

Europe Freight rates have skyrocketed over the past month and increases have been extreme in some cases. Shipping lines on this route are trying to reduce the demand by doing this.

We have seen transhipment services cancelled from Europe via Asia as these services cannot cope with the volumes into Asia, let alone being transhipped to on-forwarding destinations like New Zealand. Cancellation booking fees are being introduced by the shipping lines.

Australia & Asia We are seeing export space free up a little and rates seem to have held steady.

USA, Europe & South America Rates have been increasing because of the congestion and demand. Book six weeks in advance for both coasts.

Airfreight out of most origins remains difficult due to a lack of flights. Until we start having a different MIQ requirement in New Zealand the amount of aircraft operating will not change significantly.

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — NT CLIMATE FORUM

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

different topics such as what we make, buy and waste, supporting nature and storing carbon, and how we move ourselves and our stuff around.

L

aunched in February 2020, the Nelson Tasman Climate Forum is an online community-led initiative open to everyone.

Its mission is to weave individuals, households, civil society organisations, businesses, councils and iwi together around urgent, strategic action on climate change in the Nelson-Tasman region.

The forum is organised into a set of working groups, each focusing on

This makes the forum more accessible to new members who want to engage with specific areas of interest. Anyone with an idea for a project can approach the forum and be sure of being connected to the right group where they will be given full support to achieve their goal.

Since its inception, the forum has been going from strength to strength.

“Our good working relationships with the two councils, Iwi and with key organisations working on broad environmental issues, is a pretty significant achievement,” says Chair Joanna Santa Barbara.

To date, the forum has been heavily involved in making submissions to local and central government, hosting events around sustainable practices and educating communities on carbon emission reduction.

Forum members make valuable contributions to public conversations and are on hand to act as advisors. An ambitious youth arts expo is in the pipeline, with the forum eager to engage with youth and give their voices a platform.

Our work is varied, rewarding and crucial and we are always keen to welcome new members.

So what are you waiting for? Join this ever growing group and help us to preserve our most precious resource…our home.

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — NZ KING SALMON

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD

I

n 2015, we challenged ourselves to be the best in the world at adding value to our traditional waste streams.

Now, we are the first seafood company in New Zealand and Australia to adopt full nose-to-tail use of our product.

Our core business has always centred around premium salmon for human consumption. Although we have an active New Product Development department, there was still a proportion of our product deemed as ‘waste’ after processing was complete.

We believe that waste is unacceptable in today’s world. Here, we view waste as a lost opportunity rather than a cost of doing business.

In order to gain value from our traditional waste, we established a

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separate division – Omega Innovations and subsequently, our pet food brand Omega Plus was launched.

Omega Plus is full of wholesome, natural goodness and delicious, highquality protein, making it the complete and balanced diet that keeps your pet healthy for longer. Densely rich in longchain omega-3s, Omega Plus supports joint mobility, brain health and a shiny coat.

And because all the raw King salmon we use is fit for human consumption, you know your pets are getting the very best cuts, every time.

We think we’re clever that we have been able to turn trash into treasure, create a high-value brand, sell these branded products throughout New Zealand and export them around the world!

Find out more about our Omega Plus pet range here: www.omegaplus.co.nz.

COMMUNICATION PARTNER — BLUEBERRYIT

Keeping up with Microsoft Teams What’s Coming in 2022

M

icrosoft Teams: the intelligent communications tool that enables organisations to collaborate and communicate effectively from anywhere, at any time.

Launched in 2017 as a rival to collaboration pioneer Slack, Microsoft saw use of Teams rocket to 75 million daily active users as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened, according to stats released by Microsoft in April.

The company called Teams the fastest growing business app in its history.

From conducting important business meetings and sharing files within the “Teams” tab to using the chat function to respond to those “quick questions.”

It comes as part of your Microsoft 365 package which gives you best-in-class productivity and collaboration tools, as well as advanced security and device management capabilities.

What’s coming in 2022?

To help support the change in working environments brought on by COVID19, Microsoft temporarily increased features to help businesses operate during these uncertain times and those continue to develop, now including: •

•

•

•

Within Channels, there is an updated “New conversation” button where you can confidently start new conversations and not worry about accidentally messaging in an old thread.

Access your SharePoint lists in teams. To add a list to a channel, simply select “Add a tab” and then select the list you’d like to add. You can even start a list from scratch.

Easily search within a chat or channel by pressing Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F for Mac) and then you can type what you would like to search for.

Access messages even whilst you

are offline. Even if you are offline you can access your most recent conversations and any pinned chats and channels.

The pace of enhancements of existing features and the addition of new ones to support increasing demand for easy to use tools that keep businesses connected with their people and their people connected with their customers has never been faster.

Thanks to the Chamber and to its members for their support during 2021.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for a safe and happy New Year.

To keep up with Microsoft Teams, get in touch with one of the BlueBerryIT team. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram. and LinkedIn.

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT —THE CHEESECAKE SHOP

SMALL BUSINESS AWARD

“A party without a cake is just a meeting.”

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hat’s both mantra and motivation for Paulette and Aaron Graham. Their desire to provide a celebratory favourite for someone’s special event is what sees them leap out of bed every morning.

Alongside their team they create 40 different cake varieties that they sell from their Richmond store - the largest cake choice you’ll find anywhere in the top of the south. With that kind of visual display, customers don’t need to linger long at the front counter before the dopamine kicks in.

That’s right, staring at cakes makes you feel good.

Eating a slice is even better.

Not just good lookers, a cake acts as the focal point of a celebration. The divvy up and pass around becomes a shared experience and connector between the human dots in the room. And in a time-poor world, icing experts like Paulette and Aaron are happy to create the proverbial cherry-on-top for the special occasion because most of us just don’t have the time, willing or finesse.

Within just 18 weeks of owning the business the couple had received formal acknowledgement from head office, with an award for best franchise newcomer.

How did that happen so quickly? Paulette has a view.

“It really is just about keeping it simple. Drilling down on how do the small things exceptionally well. Maintaining strong communication with all involved and having respect for staff, customers and the franchise.”

Just some of the reasons why they decided to enter this year’s business awards.

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SMALL BUSINESSMEDIUM BUSINESS AWARD AWARD ENTRANT

SMALL BUSINESSINNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD AWARD ENTRANT

a

t Cutting Edge Signs, we help businesses stand out by providing design solutions and by manufacturing and installing bespoke signage that is not just aesthetically striking but also highly functional.

beings to work together and achieve something great. Our slogan, therefore, is “Let’s make ideas happen!” It is not “We make ideas happen” because only by collaborating with our client can we achieve success.

Leading the industry in the region since 1999, we are the largest signage solutions provider and the only certified Carbon Positive sign company at the top of the south. We are also accredited by Living Wage Aotearoa and we are SiteWise Gold certified unlike any other sign maker in the region. The quality of our craftsmanship has also helped us become a 3M Select Partner.

Cutting Edge Signs has entered the Innovative Business Award category with a particular product we have developed.

Our initiative CUIK is an innovative, community-minded, interactive

wayfinding system that helps smart cities to connect with residents, visitors and the community and tell the story of the region.

This interactive kiosk experience is an avant-garde public engagement platform that is completely developed by our team in Nelson. CUIK aims to help the council, non-profit organisations, local businesses and tourism operators communicate with the public, encourage a pedestrian-oriented environment, and promote our region.

Our services are bespoke and completely tailored to the requirements of our clients and their target market. We design brand identities, manufacture and install signage, wrap vehicles and boats, tint windows, sell flags and banners but we are more than that. We provide solutions.

Our philosophy is simple: Make friends, not clients. We truly believe in this mantra. It is in our nature as human

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LARGE BUSINESS AWARD

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD

W

e love buildings and we love designing, but people are at the core of our design ethos. People are the key drivers of architecture – people are the benefactors of architectural design, the custodians of the environment in which we design, and people are the creative minds behind the art and science of designing buildings and structures. We work in the margin between dreams and reality, creating new visions that are rooted in sound technical knowledge, innovation and financial control.

We think what makes JTB Architects unique is our aspiration to design the

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highest quality work on a national scale while maintaining a boutique style operation that lends us family values and close personal relationships with our clients. We are proud to say that over the last decade, return clients make up 45% of our business.

Recognition from our peers in the industry means a lot to us — in the last five years, we have won 29 architectural awards. Our award-winning projects include Pic’s Peanut Butter Factory, Falcon Brae Villa, Suter Art Gallery, Plant & Food Research Science Facility, and Saltwater Creek Bridge, all of which play an important function in the Nelson/Tasman community.

Sustainably is a major focus for architecture, and we are excited to be involved in the current Motueka Library project – this building being a pioneer for net-zero buildings in the Nelson/

Tasman region, adding to the already completed Bragato Research Institute in Marlborough which is to be first commercial Greenstar 5 rated building in the top of the South.

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — NELSON GIANTS

SMALL BUSINESS AWARD

J

ust two years ago, we at the Nelson Giants found ourselves in a financial hole.

The nature of our business – sport – is balance. We had got that balance wrong.

We’d put too much emphasis on winning on the court, at the expense of winning off the court… to the point where we were losing off the court.

The last 18 months has seen a change of direction. We now know that winning games is a by-product of good business.

By focusing on the pillars of our, and the NZ National Basketball League’s, strategic plan – Brand, Revenue, and Fan Engagement – we have gone from a weighty financial loss to a surplus, all while growing our membership and fanbase.

A key to all of this has been personnel. We employed a full time General Manager, and we added and diversified skillsets on our board, resulting in a variety of areas of expertise within our club.

On top of the financial and on-court results that this has led to, and will continue to, it has allowed us to deliver in parts of the community we hadn’t been previously.

For example, the Giants recently purchased a 3X3 license for the Nelson Sparks. This means, for the first time since 2016, Nelson will have a women’s team playing at the top level in New Zealand. This gives girls in our region a team to support and aspire to. We’re only just getting started in that space.

The Nelson Giants take the court for our 41st season in 2022… We can’t wait to see you all there.

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — NUDE KIWI

START UP BUSINESS AWARD

N

ude Kiwi is a luxury natural skincare brand created by Nelson locals, Emily and Ajith.

In the customers’ words:

Their business’ beginning was inspired

by Emily’s love for natural skincare and desire to reduce plastic cosmetic waste.

“Best product ever. Love the thickness of the moisturisers. The mask is amazing.

My skin is glowing and I’ve received so many compliments since using Nude Kiwi.”

The couple began where all luxury skincare producers start: trialing new recipes in their kitchen. When they were ready to take it to the next level, they moved to proper facilities and took specialist assistance to finalise their formulations.

“These products are so lush. They arrived beautifully presented, glass jars, wooden dispensers, wrapped in paper.

The creams are so nice to use and they smell stunning. My skin feels calmer.

I’m looking forward to branching out and trying the wider product range.”

Now, you’ll find Nude Kiwi in 30 outlets around New Zealand and online.

Exporting to India and Asia is next in their sights.

“We wanted to create a business that would allow travel between Nelson [Emily’s hometown] and India [Aijith’s country of birth], and that would encompass both our interests.

“By creating Nude Kiwi, we are on our way to achieving these goals. We love what we do and we’re really proud to share our Nelson story with the world. “ All Nude Kiwi products are made in Nelson and are created with sustainability in mind. People who have an interest in natural products tend to also be motivated by ethical decisions around waste minimisation and the pair has ticked both boxes. For the Nude Kiwi creators, neither of these essentials have compromised the quality of the skincare range and buyers love that their products are made in New Zealand using all natural ingredients and are sustainably packaged.

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Discount Code: Nude Kiwi are happy to offer a 20% off discount for members.

Code | CHAMBER

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — RED CROSS

COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD

W

e’ve all found it difficult to find a job at some point in our lives, but imagine shifting to another country where you don’t speak the primary language , where you have no industry contacts and have to adjust to many cultural differences. This is the situation former refugees find themselves in when settling into Aotearoa New Zealand.

New Zealand Red Cross Pathways to Employment (P2E) Programme was developed to make the transition into employment easier for these new New Zealanders. P2E prepares former refugees for work and supports them during the start-up phase in their new job — this is done in partnership with their new employer.

to gain qualifications and try new things.

P2E is dependent on Nelson Tasman employers as, without your support and participation, our clients would not have jobs – so please get in touch if you wish to find out more about P2E and employing former refugees.

Visit www.redcross.org.nz for more information.

P2E has great employment outcomes thanks to our excellent partnerships with local employers — many have ‘taken a punt’ with us and it’s worked well. Subsequently, several more have offered roles to P2E clients based on their initial positive experience with P2E. This results from P2E’s commitment to establishing trusting relationships, managing cross cultural and potential communication issues and providing ongoing in-work support.

A 2021 evaluation noted ‘P2E had high value for clients and employers and was central to successful employment of former refugees.’

Employers commented that establishing trust took time; clients needed assurance about their rights and responsibilities.

They had to learn new rules and needed help with this from P2E. Overall, employing former refugees benefited their workplace and they were happy to provide opportunities for their employees to learn,

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — NEUDORF BLACK

START UP BUSINESS AWARD

N

oël and Teena Jelsma returned from life in Asia in December 2019 and started Neudorf Black Ltd that same month. Neudorf Black makes and sells black garlic condiments.

Neudorf Black exists to bring flavour and nutrition to the Kiwi dinner plate with something special. Their black garlic condiments are made with New Zealand ingredients sourced from the South Island and are found in specialty grocers and delis around the country.

A small but vibrant player amongst local food producers, Neudorf Black is less than two years old, and is already a favourite “must stop” at the Saturday Nelson Market.

Sustainability, quality, and customer satisfaction are key to their growth as they aim to be New Zealand’s most loved black garlic brand.

You cannot grow black garlic – you have to make it. There are other black garlic producers in New Zealand, but Neudorf Black have a bespoke cooking process.

Black garlic starts life as regular white garlic sourced from the South Island.

During six weeks of cooking the garlic naturally caramelises and changes from white to black; nothing is added. The finished result is black garlic cloves. These are the basis for Black Garlic Puree.

Collecting the juice from the black garlic as it cooks means their manufacturing processes all result in zero waste or very low waste. The juice (Black Garlic Essence) is pure liquid flavour.

Drop in and see them at Nelson Market to taste their range or check www.neudorfblack.co.nz for the ways you can use this special ingredient recommended by international chef sensation Yotam Ottolenghi.

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — NOOLOGICA

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD

ntracing o minds o l o g i c a

There are some businesses that operate under the radar in our region, and discovering their existence is like a wonderful surprise. What, here? In Nelson? Noologica Ltd is one of those organisations. Fabián Labra-Spröhnle, Research Project Director, is about to tell you something you didn’t already know.

What does Noologica actually do?

We have developed a free medical and educational digital tool for the diagnosis of children’s mental health conditions, specifically neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).

The business name NOOLOGICA is a portmanteau derived from the Greek words “nous” and “logos”, meaning the study of mind.

What percentage of people have ADHD and why did you choose it?

We chose to do research with ADHD because it is one of the most common mental health challenges among children.

It varies between countries and cultures but in New Zealand, somewhere between 5-7% of the population will suffer from it. However, we expect our technology to eventually be able to help people with a broader range of mental conditions.

EF disorders are the most common features associated with mental health problems in children. Present classifications of EF disorders (e.g.

ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder) have poor levels of accuracy. No measures or precise set of observable characteristics are available to date which makes it difficult for clinicians to diagnose these conditions.

The current system of a professional practitioner asking questions and ticking boxes achieves a misdiagnosis of conditions at around the 20% mark.

In a PhD research project, I developed a new method that combines mathematics and artificial intelligence to analyse the EF patterns from thought processes. I discovered that children with ADHD have characteristic patterns of EF, like a signature of the disorder that can be accurately detected with the new method.

So this digital tool could help diagnose a wide range of neurological conditions?

Any kind of mental condition that is underpinned by EF which taps into a person’s capability to self regulate behaviour.

Is there any other diagnostic tool like it?

Not as far as we know. It is currently being trialled in Turkey and Estonia and at the Nelson Marlborough DHB and the system has been peer reviewed and published in science publications. It is an Open Science and Open Source project which means it is a free diagnostic tool.

If someone is interested in testing, how do they go about it?

They need to be referred by their GP, which gets them to the DHB, and then to us. Unfortunately, this can only happen under Level One.

What does the test do exactly and how accurate is the diagnosis?

We use a computerised version of the childhood game, Battleships. It’s a onesided game, only the child makes guesses.

This allows her/him to be able to play eight games in about 20 minutes and give us results with at least 90% accuracy.

What are you evaluating based on how the child plays the game?

Human behaviour and mental activities are controlled by goal-directed and anticipatory mechanisms, known as Executive Functions (EF).

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — LIFE EDUCATION TRUST

COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD

H

arold is an extra ordinary talking giraffe, helping kids feel better about themselves.

In an age when being a child of the 21st century means excess exposure to information, and where stories of selfharm, low self-worth and substance abuse are inextricably linked to social media, early childhood is seen as a crucial time period in which to teach tamariki ways to handle the noise.

Harold, like all giraffes and all people, is unique. No two giraffe patterns are exactly the same. He and educator, Ingrid Kemp travel all over Nelson Tasman talking to students from years 1-8 about challenging issues they are likely to face while young, inspiring them to make positive, future choices.

Ingrid believes she and Harold are ‘planting seeds of change.’ The pair represent Life Education Trust, a national organisation in operation for over 35 years (20 years in Nelson) and cover off five key strands of content in their programme — identity and resilience, relationships and communities, food and nutrition, human biology, and substances.

In classroom visits, Harold and Ingrid talk about respecting others when using a device (“Online you and off line you is the same person”), learning resilience and gratitude, and adopting a positive self- image (“Every morning they need to say three positive things about themselves and in the evening, three things that they are grateful for.”).

Regular feedback from teachers is that they are seeing positive change in the children after they’ve been through the programme. So, the Life Education Trust gets the smiley face stamp of

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approval from teachers and Harold holds great mana in playgrounds across the country.

However, the biggest challenge for the trust is that primary-aged children aren’t their key demographic for funding support. At day’s end a parent might say, “What did you do today?”

“Well,” the response may begin, “I met a talking giraffe who told me that I have value and that I’m unique, and he gave me some useful tips on how to be safe on the internet,” but never ends, “Harold was really helpful but he relies on grants and fundraising to teach kids all this stuff. Would your business like to sponsor him, Mum?”

Ingrid thinks Harold is the hardest working of all giraffes and yet not enough adults have heard of him or Life Education. Their connection with children across the region, supporting health and wellbeing and creating a long lasting, positive impression, makes the trust a notable candidate for this year’s Community Impact Award.

Despite our best efforts, we all grow up eventually. For those in the region under 20, who we are and how we cope on that journey might in a small way, be attributed to a uniquely-spotted ungulate who happens to have grown up more than most of us.

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — CHIA SISTERS

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS AWARD

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

“E

very meeting we have, it’s on the table. How can we do better?”

Abbie Tebbutt, Marketing and Relationships Manager at Chia Sisters is talking sustainability. The little beverage company with the big profile has become synonymous with sustainable, small footprint choices.

From solar powered panels to becoming Nelson’s first accredited Living Wage employers to being certified Zero Carbon and Climate Positive. They use recycled glass bottles, provide juices in kegs, and have recently started sourcing reusable rope covers to replace metres of plastic wrap at their juicery in Tahunanui.

Abbie says it sounds impressive, but thinks where there’s a will, there’s a way.

“Sustainability is a mindset. We are constantly learning and evolving. We’re always eager to understand how we can do things better and embedding sustainability into every decision is the crux of it. It’s a combination of so many different things we do every day and in every facet of our business that contributes to our environmental impact.”

When Chia Sisters onboard new suppliers they ask them to complete a form about their own sustainable business practices, ensuring they align with Chia Sisters values as closely as they can.

The latter, for quick thinking in the use of hail damaged fruit near Motueka to make pear juice. A percentage of the proceeds went to a local community school.

This progressive family business founded by sisters Chloe and Florence Van Dyke is currently New Zealand’s highestscoring B Corp™— a global certification framework that requires businesses to consider their decisions on workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.

No, it’s not the only company making ethical choices but bringing sustainability into every business decision means they make deep inroads. While it may sound like a lot of work, Abbie suggests you start with a pause.

“Take a deep breath and don’t be afraid because actually, making change is not as hard as you might think.

“For instance, the process of becoming carbon zero was surprisingly much easier than we thought. People should know it’s not this big ominous task. There are decisions that need to be made but it’s making those first steps and knowing you don’t have to do everything at once. It’s

just starting on that journey because that will build momentum which will snowball into something more.”

Abbie encourages businesses to get involved with the Businesses for Climate Action group as a way of finding sector connections and tapping into general support and knowledge about the journey to zero carbon (and – go on, set your sights on it - climate positive).

“It’s definitely building momentum not just at a local level, but a global level.

“It’s not a ‘nice to have,’ sustainability should be part of everyday decisions at every level, whether it’s business, individual or government as well.”

Any assumptions of them-and-us should be hastily shelved. Chia Sister loves collaborating and sharing ideas with other organisations. They don’t want to be leaders in this space, they want to be one of many and look forward to the day there is a thriving community of sustainabilityfocused businesses that live and breathe without carbon.

Meanwhile, Chia Sisters’ next target is to be waste-free by 2025. Want to join them?

“We want to work with people who are on the same page as us and who are considering sustainability too. That really impacts our decisions as to who we work with.”

They’ve entered two business award categories this year. The Wakatū Environmental Award and NRDA Innovative Business Award.

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — GOURMET CATERING

SMALL BUSINESS AWARD

C

arol Shirley, the founder of Gourmet Catering, had been working in Australia as a manager for a national chain of restaurants before setting up her business. There, she first learnt a cornerstone principle of the hospitality business: put people first, and profits follow.

father still laugh that no husband has materialised. Although they are both delighted that a successful business has!

When Carol returned to Nelson in 2003, she found it difficult to find employment despite good references and an excellent track record.

But the one thing that hasn’t changed is that she still puts people before profit; that applies to both her customers and her team. It’s this guiding principle that has taken her business from bun runs around the CBD to catering multi-day conferences for over five hundred people.

Carol still recalls the day she told her father that she intended to start her own business. He felt that it would be difficult for her to get things off the ground during midwinter in Nelson and said, “You’ll have more luck finding a husband!”

Carol, relishing the challenge, leased a professional kitchen the next day and began selling food out of baskets around the CBD. Two weeks later, she had $1100 in her bank account and four forward catering jobs. Gourmet Catering had officially begun.

Two decades later, Carol and her

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Since those early days, Carol has taken the journey from a sole operator to an employer with a management team in place.

It’s not just business, it’s personal. Carol believes that what she does is much more than running a business. She’s proud to have helped Nelsonians celebrate some of their most significant life events over two decades. Carol maintains that’s still the part of her job she loves the most.

When a grieving relative tells her that their family member would have loved the cake she served at their memorial, it makes her heart sing. She recently catered a 65th wedding anniversary celebration for a couple for whom she had previously catered both a Golden and Diamond

anniversary party. This return custom is how she measures success.

Over two decades, Carol has become a much-recognised face in Nelson, and she credits her business’ success with this.

She says, “People get to know you and you make friends with customers, and they are with you through the highs and lows.”

Times have been challenging throughout the Covid pandemic for all businesses, but specifically hospitality.

However, Carol has developed innovative solutions to keep her company afloat and staff employed through both lockdowns.

These have included restaurant-quality home-delivered meals, bubble boxes and at-home catering. Carol has been blown away by the support she’s received from clients, both old and new, other businesses and the local media.

She says, “I think many people in Nelson recognise that when life throws me a lemon, I’ll make lemonade, and people are happy to bring a glass to the party and support me in my endeavours, for which I’m extremely grateful.”

BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — NELSON ENVIRONMENT CENTRE

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

N

elson Environment Centre — New Zealand’s longest serving environment centre, established 1976!

To this day, we remain an independent not-for-profit organisation, passionate about providing accessible, sustainable choices — real solutions for real people!

We do this through our three core programmes: Kai Rescue; the ReUse shops; and Electronic Waste (E Waste) Recycling.

Kai Rescue

Have you heard about Kai Rescue? Our dedicated Kai Rescue team of staff and volunteers help us to collect, sort and pack food that’s good enough to eat but is surplus/unsellable. We partner with 60+ recipient organisations who distribute the food to those in need - approximately 2.5 tonnes of food per week rescued from going into landfill, diverted to help feed our community instead of contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

ReUse Shops

Our ReUse Shops go by many (affectionate) names… does “the dump shop”, “the tip shop”, or “Mitre 11” ring a bell?

The big yellow robot on Vivian Place, Annesbrook is a familiar landmark to the Nelson Tasman community. Our customers enjoy affordable pricing and a great selection of pre-loved items to take home with them, ready for a new life.

E Waste Recycling

We are thrilled with the progress of our E Waste programme, with an expansion project underway to help raise community awareness about responsible disposal of broken/used electronics. Instead of throwing it into landfill, our fantastic E Waste technicians and volunteers help to repair, reuse and recycle items to keep them in use and out of landfill.

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BUSINESS AWARDS ENTRANT — NT CYCLE TRAILS TRUST

COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD

f

or the past 12 years, trail construction has been a focus for the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust.

The Trust is a volunteer body that looks after two Great Rides – Tasman’s Great Taste Trail and the Coppermine Trail.

The Coppermine Trail, a 39km intermediate level mountain bike ride from the Nelson city centre into a mountain environment is complete.

The Great Taste Trail will be a 177km loop through Nelson, Wakefield, Motueka, Tapawera and Kaiteriteri. Its mix of rural, urban, coastal and riverside scenery can be enjoyed over several days or dipped into on shorter day rides. 0ver three-quarters of the Great Taste Trail is complete.

The trails are proving significant community and visitor assets. An independent report commissioned by MBIE estimates that there were 267,218 trips (cycles and pedestrians) on the Great Taste Trail and 7,490 trips on the Coppermine Trail, in the year to 28 February 2020.

An important success factor has been getting the community and landowners alongside. Local government – Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council – has been hugely supportive. As have volunteer groups, local businesses, private donors, Rata Foundation, Lottery Grants Board, Walking Access Commission, service clubs, Nelson Forests/OneFortyOne and Ewing Poultry.

This Trust is creating safe and diverse trails that showcase the best of the region. The Great Rides encourage locals, commuters, visitors to get into the outdoors. They also provide significant health and social benefits as well as investment in local infrastructure, employment and sustainable travel.

Image credit: Virginia Woolf Photography.

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Business Awards Award Sponsors Sponsors Special thank you to the sponsors of each award category.

START UP BUSINESS

START UP BUSINESS

COMMUNITY IMPACT COMMUNITY IMPACT

SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL

MEDIUM BUSINESS

MEDIUM BUSINESS

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS INNOVATIVE BUSINESS

LARGE BUSINESS

LARGE BUSINESS

SUPREME BUSINESS SUPREME BUSINESS

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