Dairy farms owner and milk products manufacturer, Synlait Milk Ltd based in Rakaia 50km inland from Christchurch, has won the supreme award at the HSBC NZCTA China Business Awards 2013 - announced at a special event at Auckland's Langham Hotel.

Synlait is an innovative dairy company combining farming in New Zealand that provides on-farm specialised milks, with state-of-the-art processing facilities to produce milk products such as nutraceuticals, infant formulations and a dairy milk-based formula to meet the nutritional needs of breastfeeding women, and colostrum products.

All its milk supply farms have a Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry approved Risk Management Programme that ensures the quality of its milk is protected.

Bright Dairy of China became a significant partner and shareholder in 2010, when construction began on the largest and most sophisticated purpose built infant formula facility in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Supreme Award was decided from all categories listed below, of which Synlait also won the DLA Phillips Fox - Successful Investment with China, Inward or Outward Award. 

The supreme winner receives a prize valued at more than $25,000, which includes two return business-class airline tickets to China plus accommodation at a five-star hotel, the use of a BMW vehicle in New Zealand for three months, and a trophy. 

Graham Kearns, executive director of the New Zealand China Trade Association (NZCTA) that organised the awards, said: “We are thrilled to acknowledge those companies with a significant presence in New Zealand that also have profitable and sustained relationships with businesses and government agencies in China.

“There are plenty of challenges in trading with and investing in China, as we constantly hear in the media. But many firms are just getting on with it – after all, many country markets have huge differences in language, cultural norms and regulation.

“The companies awarded tonight, and indeed all our finalists and entrants, show they can manage these barriers. We congratulate them all.”

The category winners are:

 

This award recognises organisations whose Chinese/NZ business relationships have created leverage opportunities for others. 

This award is for an organisation that demonstrates innovative and successful NZ/China cross-border investment - inward or outward. 

This award is for companies excelling in growing their product or service sales in China, or increasing their importing and distribution of Chinese-sourced products or services in New Zealand. 

This award recognises significant investment and innovation in developing a supply chain to increase China/NZ business flows. 

This award recognises a New Zealand registered company that has a business history with Hong Kong and is growing their business from Hong Kong – preferably but not necessarily into China or wider Asia.

 

Guests at the gala dinner awards ceremony included the Prime Minister John Key (recently returned from leading a mission to China), the Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand His Excellency Mr Xu Jianguo, staff and senior business people involved in trade and investment between NZ and China, and other diplomatic staff.