Waipapa exporter wins $30k business development grant

Waipapa exporter wins $30k business development grant

ecobeings Ltd of Waipapa is the recipient of the second $30,000 grant of 2015 from the Top Energy Business Development Fund. The money will help the company to buy a soap and powder manufacturing process line, enabling it to set up a factory, hire three full-time employees within a year and supply large export orders.

The company produces hand-made soap and cleaning products from 100 percent natural, unsynthesised ingredients, with no added chemicals or palm-oil content. It claims they are unlike anything else available on supermarket shelves.

This was the second time ecobeings had applied for the grant, having narrowly missed out on the inaugural grant in 2014 which went ultimately to Bonze Lures of Opua. The Top Energy Business Development Fund judges said the company had filed a well-compiled and highly professional submission.

“This is precisely the sort of economic development initiative that the Top Energy Business Development Fund was set up to foster,” said Top Energy chief executive Russell Shaw. “It was clear to the judges that the company had focus and direction and, because it had done what it said it would do in its first submission, that it was delivering on its plans.”

ecobeings managing director Belinda Robinson said the company was currently in the final stages of negotiations with buyers in “significant” export markets for ongoing orders for the full range of ecobeings products.

Top Energy launched the Business Development Fund in 2014 as a replacement for the Tall Poppy Business Awards. The scheme is designed to encourage and promote economic growth in the Far North. Grants of up to $30,000 are awarded twice a year for local business ideas or initiatives that have the potential to grow or diversify the Far North economy.

The money is either awarded in full to a single stand-out idea or in smaller amounts to several initiatives, depending on the number, quality and merit of the applications received.

11 companies responded to the call for submissions, advertised in local print and broadcast media during August.

Shortlisted applicants made detailed submissions and presentations to a panel of judges comprising a member of the Top Energy management team and two former Tall Poppy Awards judges; Jim Makaweo, business development consultant and founder of Makana Confections, and John Halse, formerly of Enterprise Northland and now a business consultant.

Application forms for the first Top Energy Business Development Fund grant of 2016 will be available on the Top Energy website in January.

ENDS

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