2013 American Chamber of Commerce DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards

Auckland, 8 August 2013 undefined The 14^th annual AmCham DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards have been held this evening at the Pullman Auckland Hotel, with Greenshell New Zealand winning the Supreme Award for trade with the United States.

Greenshell New Zealand manufactures a range of innovative products marketed under the award winning Ikana brand, which add value to its organically grown Greenshell™ Mussels. The products are targeted at retail and foodservice sectors in key export markets, most notably the USA. The company is a family owned business which is transforming itself from mussel farm to branded food company.

“Greenshell New Zealand is an excellent case study of how New Zealand companies can evolve from commodity suppliers to added value exporters, selling premium products to customers around the world who are prepared to pay for them. The judges were highly impressed by the company’s disciplined and structured approach as it made this critical leap. Their new customer led business model has been responsible for a range of highly successful differentiated products, as well as clever market targeting and segmentation, backed up by high quality branding and packaging,” said Stephen Titter, Awards judge.

AmCham was delighted to welcome Prime Minister John Key to his first AmCham Awards dinner where he presented the three exporter awards.

Tim Baxter, country manager DHL Express New Zealand, who announced the supreme winner said, “In the transformation of their business, Greenshell has embodied the spirit of innovation, which is what we’re celebrating here tonight. In addition, the calibre of the category winners is incredibly high, which bodes well for forging successful business relationships between New Zealand and the US.”

The Supreme Award is chosen from the winners of each of the categories presented on the night. The complete list of winners follows:

• Importer of the Year from the USA: Cavit & Co Ltd
• Investor of the Year to or from the USA: Foley Family Wines
• Exporter of the Year – under NZ$500,000: C-Dax Ltd 
• Exporter of the Year – NZ$500,000 – 5 million:  Greenshell New Zealand Ltd
• Exporter of the Year – over NZ$5 million: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd
• Trevor Eagle Memorial Award – AmCham Supporter of the Year: Stephen Titter
• Supreme Award Winner:  Greenshell New Zealand Ltd

The AmCham DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards celebrate success and innovation in the export, import and investment sectors between New Zealand and its third-largest trading partner, the USA.  Winners of the importer and exporter categories receive a return economy Class ticket on Hawaiian Airlines from Auckland to one of the following destinations of their choice: Honolulu, Maui, The Big Island, Kauai, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Portland, Phoenix, Sacramento or New York.

 In addition to AmCham, DHL-Express and Hawaiian Airlines, the Awards are also supported by Baldwins, Fonterra, Prescient Marketing & Communications and Unlimited magazine.

 Other previous winners of the Supreme Award include Zespri International, Specialist Marine Interiors, Peace Software, Airways Corporation, HumanWare, Tenon, Orion Systems International, Zeacom and Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre, Buckley Systems and Vista Entertainment.