Food Drink

South Australian 2019 Food And Beverage Industry Award Winners Revealed

“The winners announced this year show the tremendous depth of talent we have here in our state, with these businesses attracting tourism, creating jobs, and boosting our economy,” said Premier Steven Marshall.

Working together for industry-wide growth is the secret ingredient for success for the winners of the 2019 South Australian Premier’s Food and Beverage Industry Awards.

The 2019 winners were announced and celebrated at what has become one of the biggest industry nights of the year.

“Businesses large and small, industry stakeholders and friends come together at the Awards Gala Dinner to celebrate with each other and the whole industry, and that spirit of cooperation is a key factor in the leadership our industry has shown for over 20 years now,” said Food South Australia CEO, Catherine Sayer.

“A great example is Mexex, which has won three awards tonight for innovation in food or beverage, education and service to the industry. Consumers might not know their name, but Mexex’s focus on investing in their own people and collaborating across the industry has resulted in a business that now develops more than 100 new products every year for brands across Australia that are sold worldwide.

“Mexex has recently established the first world gold standard aseptic packaging facility in the Australasian region, a game changing technology for perishable products which can now be produced preservative free, and packed and transported without refrigeration. This technology opens up new markets for South Australian food and beverage products, and can also bring other producers across Australia to South Australia because there’s nowhere else in Australia that can process and pack products this way,” said Ms Sayer.

“In the same way, Clean Seas Seafoods’ global leadership in breeding, production and sale of Yellowtail Kingfish has seen them establish year-round global supply of high quality product, recognised tonight when they won the coveted Business Excellence Award, and also the Export Award for 2019.”

“Food South Australia works with businesses at all sizes and stages of development and it is great to see this industry focus on the big picture and the future,” said Ms Sayer.

“It’s the businesses who look to the opportunities provided by shared capability and capacity who kick-start innovation, regardless of whether they are new or long established. In a world where consumer demands change almost daily, this puts the South Australian food and beverage industry in a prime position to drive growth and promises a great future for both the industry and the state’s economic growth,” she said.

The individual awards this year have also recognised industry professionals with a strong focus on the future. Managing Director of Golden North, Peter Adamo, received this year’s Leader Award, and another member of the fourth generation of the Ceravolo family, Joseph Ceravolo, has added his Next Generation Award to the family’s accolades, which also included a Sustainability Award for Ceravolo Orchards and an Innovation Award for their brand Ashton Valley Fresh this year.

Dave Reilly of Gurra Downs, now the largest date producer in the country, has been recognised for his achievements fostering diversification in South Australia’s agricultural industry with the Duncan MacGillivray Entrepreneur Award.

The Awards finished on a sweet note when the Consumer Award was awarded to state favourite and iconic brand Haigh’s Chocolates.

Food South Australia works in partnership with the State Government to support industry-wide growth in a partnership and the South Australian Premier’s Food and Beverage Industry Awards are supported through this nationally unique partnership.

Premier Steven Marshall said businesses like those awarded this year are critical to the state’s economy.

“South Australia is renowned for many things, including our first class food, wine and beverages,” said the Premier.

“The winners announced this year show the tremendous depth of talent we have here in our state, with these businesses attracting tourism, creating jobs, and boosting our economy.”

The 2019 South Australian Food and Beverage Industry Awards Winners are…

Hall of FameInductee, sponsored by San Remo
Barossa Fine Foods

Business Excellence Award, sponsored by Show Society Foundation
Clean Seas Seafood (>15 full time equivalent (FTE) employees)
Oleapak (<15 FTEs)

Emerging Business Award, sponsored by Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment
Australian Fresh Dairy

Export Award, sponsored by Visy
Clean Seas Seafood (>15 FTEs)
Oleapak (<15 FTEs)

Innovation in Business Award, sponsored by Food Processing Equipment
Coopers Brewery (>15 FTEs)
Ashton Valley Fresh (<15 FTEs)

Innovation in Food or Beverage Award, sponsored by Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment
Mexex (>15 FTEs)
Naked Blendz (<15 FTEs)

New Product Award, sponsored by Foodland SA
Beston Global Food Company (>15 FTEs)
Woodside Cheese Wrights (<15 FTEs)

Primary Producer Award, sponsored by Thomas Foods International
Ceravolo Orchards

Service Provider Award, sponsored by Moore Stephens South Australia
Mexex (>15 FTEs)
South Australian Analytical Laboratory Services (SAALS) (<15 FTEs)

Sustainability Award, sponsored by Peats Soil & Garden Supplies
Ceravolo Orchards (>15 FTEs)
Ochre Nation (Team Unico)

Leader Award, sponsored by Bickford’s Group
Peter Adamo (Managing Director and co-owner, Golden North)

Next Generation Award, sponsored by Macro Group Australia
Joseph Ceravolo (Operations Manager, Ahston Valley Fresh)

Duncan MacGillivray Entrepreneur Award, sponsored by Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment
Dave Reilly (Managing Director, Gurra Downs Date Company)

Education and Training Award, sponsored by The University of Adelaide
Mexex

Consumer Award, sponsored by Statewide Super
Haigh’s Chocolates

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