BioVittoria Sweet Success at China Trade Awards

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BioVittoria Co-Founder, Garth Smith, with Chinese farmers in Luo Han orchard

MEDIA RELEASE
1 March 2007

For immediate release

BioVittoria Tastes Sweet Success at China Trade Awards

BioVittoria - a New Zealand company commercialising PureLo®, a 100% natural, zero-calorie sweetener made from the Luo Han fruit grown only in Southern China - has been awarded the top prize at this year’s New Zealand China Trade Association Awards.

BioVittoria has won both the Entrepreneur and Innovation Award and the Supreme Trade Award at the bi-annual New Zealand China Trade Association Awards, beating out some of the country’s best known exporters including Fonterra, New Zealand Steel and Ngai Tahu Seafood.

CEO David Thorrold, says the Company’s success has come from implementing a business model that benefits everyone involved from the farmers who grow the fruit to consumers who can enjoy their favourite treats without adding calories or artificial sweeteners.

“By supporting large-scale growing of Luo Han we are contributing to an increased standard of living in the rural areas of Southern China where our growers are based. At the same time we have brought a unique sweetener to market which gives food and beverage companies and their consumers access to a 100% natural, zero-calorie alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners,”.

Mr Thorrold said the breadth of the Company’s operation is what, he believes, made BioVittoria stand out from other award finalists.

“BioVittoria is heavily involved in all aspects of the business - from development of improved plant varieties, right through to marketing to our customers, who include some of the world’s largest food and beverage companies,” he explained.

Mr Thorrold said BioVittoria’s business was a great example of how New Zealand companies can work with Chinese partners to create innovative products.

“BioVittoria has utilised New Zealand expertise in plant science, agronomics, food processing and marketing to develop a unique agricultural product from a traditional Chinese crop.

“This is the sort of win-win collaboration which the New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement will hopefully help to foster,” said Mr Thorrold.

Mr Thorrold also noted the importance of Government support in helping new companies like BioVittoria grow.

“The support we have had in the form of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise funding and direct investment from the NZ Venture Investment Fund through venture capital firm, Endeavour ICap, has been significant in getting our business to this stage,” he said.

BioVittoria is a product development and marketing company that identifies, cultivates, refines, and markets proprietary biomaterials and scientifically proven, bioactive compounds. BioVittoria’s corporate headquarters are at the Waikato Innovation Park in Hamilton. It also has offices in China and the USA.

Based within the Chamber of Commerce in Auckland, New Zealand, the New Zealand-China Trade Association is managed by a professional secretariat responsible to an Executive Council of Association members. There are 100 New Zealand members.

The New Zealand China Trade Association Awards were held in Auckland on 23 February and were sponsored by NZ China Trade Association, Cathay Pacific, HSBC, DHL, Cosco, and Richina Pacific.

ENDS

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