Natural health products industry award winners announced

Natural Health Products NZ has announced the winners of its annual industry awards, including the Supreme Award for the best overall entry:

Supreme Award:
Anagenix

Marketing Award ($2m and over in sales)
Winner: Anagenix
Highly commended: Harker Herbals

Marketing Award (Under $2m in sales)
BioEquitas

Cawthron Institute Innovation Award
Winner: Absolute Essential
Highly commended: Grin Natural Products

FernMark Licence Programme Growth Award
Anagenix

Natural Health Products NZ is a national industry organisation representing this country’s natural health products, functional foods, complementary medicines, cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals industries.

Announcing the winners, the Awards Lead Judge Lorraine Moser says New Zealand’s natural health products industry has a heritage of pioneers.

“This year’s Awards winners exemplify the great job our sector is doing in continuing to push boundaries with innovations, further enhancing New Zealand’s international reputation as a source of high-quality natural health products.”

Award winner overviews:

Auckland-based Anagenix develops products for the nutraceutical and functional food segments, continuously working on new ingredient development to meet growing global health needs.

Since its establishment in 2011, Anagenix has developed a portfolio of products that are sold through distribution networks in the USA, Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe and had achieved impressive growth during that time.

The Supreme Award, judges said the company’s success in this year’s Awards demonstrated the power of the networked natural health products industry, with the Anagenix science team collaborating with various research organisations such as Plant & Food Research, Callaghan Innovation, Riddet Institute and New Zealand’s top universities.

“Anagenix is a truly worthy recipient of the 2020 Natural Health Products NZ Supreme Award.”

This award recognises a company that has achieved exceptional results from the implementation of an outstanding marketing campaign.

Anagenix was established in 2011 to provide a commercial link between ground-breaking New Zealand plant bioactive research and the world’s best supplement producers. The company works with research institutions in New Zealand to bring the best of this country’s horticulture to the world of nutraceuticals.

The judges commented that, in developing marketing collateral that matched each touchpoint of the sales process, Anagenix created a comprehensive toolkit that fully supports its customers and creates preference with its customers’ customers.

Judges were also impressed with Anagenix’s marketing plan, which they felt was well structured, with clear metrics, impressive sales growth and comprehensive assessment of success.

HIGHLY COMMENDED - HARKER HERBALS: Recognising a gap in the market for a children’s range, Waipu-based Harker Herbals brought on herbalist Paul Mitchell to develop a modern range of herbal syrups for children. On the back of its success, Mitchell went on to create the Be Well range for adults in 2018.

Judges said they were impressed with Harker Herbals creating a range of modern herbal formulations for adults that would attract a new group of younger, health conscious consumers who were not already engaged with the brand through its Malcolm Harker tonics.

This award recognises a company that has achieved exceptional results from the implementation of an outstanding marketing campaign.

BioEquitas Managing Director Samantha Gray had consulted to the natural health products industry on a small part-time scale for over a decade and saw a growing need for consultants who offered a range of complimentary services. Market research confirmed this and BioEquitas was created in 2018.

The Marketing Award (under $2m) judges commented: “Launching a services business on a limited budget and as a first-time experience is not easy but, by clearly determining the brand and what it stands for, BioEquitas had achieved strong exposure and growth, giving the business a strong foundation for ongoing success.

This award recognises outstanding innovation demonstrated in any facet of business.

Founded in 1988 by natural health practitioner, Dr Bo Hendgen, Absolute Essential is a company built on sustainability principles to promote health and wellbeing for our global future.

Hendgen’s founding pledge was to source and protect the world’s finest natural plant extracts for maximum therapeutic value, and to achieve the vision of making a positive and permanent difference to people’s lives.

Judges were impressed by Absolute Essential’s sustainable solution to a packaging problem. The company’s “Biodegradable Russian Doll Packaging” solution comprises an outer packaging and shipping system, which meets the following criteria:

• Boxes must arrive flat, be folded quickly and provide for secure shipping
• All boxes must be multi-functional
• Utilises New Zealand suppliers
• Only uses biodegradable / compostable materials
• Reduces dispatch cost
• Provides an eco-friendly tamper evident seal
• Tells the Absolute Essential story
• Creates a sense of pride when customers receive the delivery

Judges said: “This entry demonstrated the research and persistence Absolute Essential had taken to overcome challenges and find suitable solutions. It provides a great example for others grappling with sustainable packaging issues.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED - GRIN NATURAL PRODUCTS: Grin Natural Products was launched in October 2015 as a professional natural New Zealand oral care brand that specialises in natural toothpastes and eco-friendly oral care essentials.

Judges said Grin’s entry demonstrated innovation across two products: New Zealand’s first natural toothpaste with fluoride, and adult and kids floss picks that are made from non-GMO corn starch, and are fully biodegradable.

This award is made to the company with the highest percentage increase in total revenue.

Since its establishment in 2011, Anagenix has developed a portfolio of products that are sold through distribution networks in the USA, Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe. In 2019, Anagenix achieved growth of 300%