Paengaroa-based packhouse Kiwi Produce has taken out the 2016 Bennetts Proactive Supreme Award at the Te Puke Business Excellence Awards.

Established in 1986 as a specialist kiwifruit packhouse, prepacker and distributor, Kiwi Produce now operates six fully monitored coolstores, employ 60 staff during peak season, and packs more than two million trays of locally grown fruit for domestic and export markets annually.

Organised by the Te Puke Economic Development Group, chief executive Mark Boyle says six awards were presented during the annual celebration held at the Te Puke Town Hall on Friday night.

'The 2016 Awards Programme has been an outstanding success. Nominees this year were an interesting mix with contestants from the corporate sector, SME's, a school and a local church.

'Our judging panel were very impressed with the quality of management, vision and passion of the nominees. The continuing support for the event is solid with outstanding sponsors, enthusiastic business owners and managers and highly motivated staff that make these businesses tick”.

Along with the presentation of the awards, the evening featured guest speaker Sir Bob Harvey who delivered a world class presentation on leadership and shared with the crowd his story, his learnings and his thinking on the attributes of strong leadership.

Mark says despite Te Puke being a relatively small district with some 17,000 people, Te Puke EDG has continued to deliver a first class awards programme that matches other business awards in the main cities of New Zealand.

'Te Puke can be very proud of its successes.”

THE 2016 TE PUKE BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS WINNERS:

• Bupa Te Puke Country Lodge - Food & Beverage Award - Ella's Cafe
• Western Bay of Plenty District Council - Retail Award - Blacketts Life Pharmacy
• Carter House - Service Award - Ray White Te Puke
• Trevelyan's - New/Emerging Business Award - Te Puke Diner
• Zespri - Agriculture/Horticulture/Industrial Award - Kiwi Produce
• Tourism BOP - Exceptional Employee Award - Vianne Miller
• Bennetts Proactive - Supreme Award - Kiwi Produce