Celebrating and showcasing entrepreneurship and innovation by rural women the annual awards take in seven categories with the supreme winner judged from the category winners.
While excited about the win AgriSea business manager Clare Bradley said it was unexpected given the high calibre of every woman in the finals.
“We are often caught up in keeping our heads down, working hard to achieve our goals in our businesses, communities and families.
“The awards are an opportunity for both me personally and our whanau at AgriSea to take a breather and celebrate where we’ve come from.
“Thank you Rural Women NZ and NZI for this award and opportunity. It has fortified my passion and dedication for what we do every day,” Bradley said.
She and her husband Tane took over the management of the business, founded in 1996 by her in-laws, five years ago.
AgriSea, a Paeroa firm, pioneered the use of seaweed products, brewing and specialising in the manufacture of macro-algae concentrates and bioactive extractions to add high-value nutrition for soil, plant, animal and human health.
Seaweed contains minerals, vitamins, growth promotants, trace elements and amino acids.
It is a nutrient feast, a smorgasbord for soil biology, plant and animal health.
AgriSea supplies to all agribusiness sectors including horticulture, agriculture, viticulture and dairy farmers, both here and overseas.
“We are developing natural solutions for farmers to develop sustainable farming practice into the future.
“The benefits are clear – growing farm by farm as farmers see the benefits.”
Bradley said the business is 100% committed to research and development to prove the long-term efficacy for farmers.
The secret to seaweed is simply high nutrition with AgriSea having a reputation for listening to farmers’ needs.
The bee industry is a fast-growing new sector for AgriSea with the bee products proving highly successful.
All 30 staff employed in the business, run as a family operation, including the team of 15 experts on the road are considered part of the family.
“We absolutely enjoy working as a family and we love what we do every day,” Bradley said.
Rural Women president Fiona Gower said AgriSea’s business model and products are epitomised in Bradley’s passion, expertise and commitment to her family’s business.
“The company’s impressive investment in research, development and innovation is a showcase of a successful, inter-generational, rural agri-business,” Gower said.
NZI commercial underwriting executive manager Christina Chellew said the awards recognise the sheer hard work, dedication and entrepreneurship that goes into developing rural enterprises.
“AgriSea has been a pioneering business in the production of seaweed-based products for 20 years and this award is richly deserved.
“Clare’s commitment to harnessing the potential of NZ’s sustainable resources is inspiring,” Chellew said.
Category Award winners:
Creative Arts, Whistle and Pop, Bex Hayman, South Canterbury
Emerging Business, By the Horns, Amanda King, Canterbury
Innovation, Advert Media for the Skool Loop app, Sharlene Barnes, Kaikoura
Love of the Land, AgriSea, Clare Bradley, Waikato
Rural Champion, communiKate, Kate Taylor, Hawke’s Bay
Bountiful Table, The Clareville Bakery, Rose Kloeg, Wairarapa
Rural Health and Wellbeing Excellence, Piopio Dental, Kim Tatham, Waikato
