Finalists in the 2023 Southland Business Excellence Awards have now been announced by the Southland Business Chamber.

The annual awards showcase Southland’s business talent and capability. 

Three new catagories have been added to the awards this year.

They are Southland Employer of the Year, Individual Excellence in Export, Southland Small Business of the Year.

Judges spent the past four weeks working through 137 applications and commented that they were truly inspired by the innovative and passionate stories from throughout the region.

The judges included Frank Gibbons, Air NZ; Lani Evans MNZM, ONE Foundation; Amy Allison, MPI; Shelley Bell, Wilson Bell Consulting; Ian McKininmonth, DHL; Garth Butson, ACC; Robert Boekhout, Blue River Dairy; and Stella O’Connor, Active Southland.

2023 Finalists

Findex (NZ) Ltd | Rural Sector Excellence Award

• H W Richardson Group

• JK's Engineering

• Wha̅nau Consultancy Services

SIT | Te Pu̅kenga | Excellence in Trades Industries Award

• Flooring Xtra

• H W Richardson Group

• Kiwi Skips

• Transcare

• Windsor Architectural Hardware

PowerNet | New and Emerging Award

• Cosmetic Clinic

• FlourBro

• Hayz at the Anchorage

• Rakiura Distilling Company

• Rent South

The Southland Times | Consumer Services Award

• E Hayes & Son

• Hayz at the Anchorage

• Kiwi Skips

• Morrifield Developments

• The Batch Café

• The Plant Store

ILT| Not for Profit Award

• Awarua Synergy

• Inclusive Activity Murihiku

• Jubliee Budget Advisory Services

• Number 10 Youth One Stop Shop

• South Invercargill Urban Rejuvenation Charitable Trust

Woodside Energy| Professional Services Award

• Digital Stock

• Janice Hughes

• Malloch McClean

• The Headache Clinic

Fi Innovations | Excellence in Innovation Award

• Digital Stock

• HW Richardson Group (Hydrogen Project)

• Mytransport

• The Headache Clinic

• The Plant Store

Air New Zealand Cargo | Individual Excellence in Export Award

• Brent Crawford (South Pacific Meats)

• Bruce Shields (Ocean Shell)

• Murray Brown (Windsor Architectural Hardware)

Meridian Energy One to Watch Award

• Ashlee Whipps (Dear Lily)

• Dan Butterfield (Kiwi Skips)

• James Wards (Your Corps)

• Jim Dowling (Digital Stock)

• Kerryn Douglas (Paycheck)

• Louise Evans (Lemon Creative)

• Rakiura Distilling Company (4 company founders)

2degrees | Southland Employer of the Year

• Macaulay Motors

• Malloch McClean

• The Fat Duck

• The Headache Clinic

Invercargill City Council | Southland Small Business of the Year

• Avenal Park Funeral Home

• Fiordland Trips & Tramps

• Janice Hughes

• Kennedy School of Music

• Morrifield Developments

• Robbies Pickles

• Seriously Good Chocolate

• Talk Visual

• The Fat Duck

Blue River Dairy LP Workplace Wellbeing Award

• Invercargill Airport

• Macaulay Motors

• Mataura Valley Milk

ACC Workplace Safety Award

• Avenal Park Funeral Home

• H W Richardson Group

• Invercargill Airport

• Macaulay Motors

An Awards Gala Dinner will take place at Transport World, Invercargill on Friday 15th September 2023.