Latest News

New Zealand businesses urged to up game to unleash Blockchain opportunities

New Zealand businesses need to up their game and adopt a plan to embrace de-centralised technology or are at risk being left behind according to some leading Blockchain advocates. Stefan Korn, Chief Product Officer, Callaghan Innovation, Blockchain expert Mark Pascall and agribusiness business leader and founder of Carrickmore, a dairy export company specialising in marketing infant formula Chris Claridge believe...

The Business of influencing

Being paid to give your opinion on anything and everything sounds like a dream job, and it is for a number of Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand influencers. In the age of social media, the role of influencers has become pivotal in reaching targeted and general audiences. What do these influencers have that you and I don’t? Followers. Followers on...

Local workplace Suicide Prevention Programme has instant impact

Many of us have been impacted by the loss of a family member, friend or work colleague to suicide. Between July 2018–June 2019, 654 suspected self-inflicted deaths (SSIDs) were reported in New Zealand, 46 of these were in Hawke’s Bay. At that time the national average of SSIDs was 12.86 per 100,000 population – Hawke’s Bay was double that at...

Rockit apple founder looks to raise $15 million for innovative cherry business

Successful primary sector Entrepreneur Phil Alison has commenced a $15 million capital raise for his vertically integrated Cherry business, Cherri Global. In 2002 Mr Alison launched Rockit, a miniature-sized apple packaged and marketed in tubes which has enjoyed international success and he is taking the same approach to disrupt the global cherry market. After selling his shareholding in Rockit in...

Cricket loving duo go into bat for retirees

Cricket-loving father and son Barry and James Rosenberg have combined their knowledge and experience to produce an e-book called 65 Not Out, which is aimed at helping people plan for retirement. Barry, a career chartered accountant who now specialises in family business and farm succession planning, and James, Frimley Lifestyle Village manager, used a cricketing term as the name for...

Mentoring is positive for the soul and community

The rest of New Zealand envies the Hawke’s Bay lifestyle and enormous potential our region has to offer. We’re renowned for our fertile soils, excellent climate, world-class Port, and the talented and entrepreneurial people who live here. At the same time, we locals must concede that Hawke’s Bay is a community in crisis. Levels of family violence and drug and...

Food hub ready to go

With the i’s almost dotted and the t’s almost crossed, the construction of Foodeast will be underway by September. The building of Hawke’s Bay’s Food Innovation Network hub, the sixth in New Zealand, is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. It will be a place of innovation and connection, designed to add value to the region’s food,...

Rockit – small but packing a mighty punch

t may only be 100 grams in size, but the world’s smallest commercial apple is packing one big punch across the world. With over 100 million apples packed in 2021 and forecasted growth of over 400 million apples packed by 2025, it doesn’t take rocket science to work out that Rockit Global Limited needed a multimillion-dollar purpose-built, automated post-harvest facility...

Pop Up Business School Supports budding entrepreneurs

Business Hawke’s Bay hosted the pop up Rebel Business School Aotearoa supporting the region’s budding entrepreneurs, as part of its economic and social development, and regional recovery initiatives at Hastings HIVE. Funded by Business Hawke’s Bay, Hastings District Council, Napier City Council, Ministry of Social Development, and Te Puni Kōkiri, the Rebel Business School Aotearoa is a fantastic opportunity for...

Conroy’s keeps moving forward

Family-owned business Conroy Removals celebrate 50 years in 2022 and despite one of the most challenging times in their history, dealing with both the COVID pandemic and a flood wreaking havoc at their Onekawa, Napier base, the father and daughter-run operation has emerged stronger than ever. Just prior to COVID, general manager Fiona Conroy followed in her father David’s footsteps,...