Every year, Food & Fibre Gippsland hosts its Excellence in Agribusiness Awards, recognising innovative regional enterprises contributing to Gippsland’s food and fibre sector.
This year, the regional organisation received numerous quality entries in the Excellence in Entrepreneurship category, ranging from premium artisanal dairy products to better beer, bovine products and beeswax paper for food storage.
The F&F G judging panel narrowed the field to these four finalists, one of which will be awarded top gong at an appropriately social-distanced event scheduled for 20 November:
- Berry Sensation, Shady Creek;
- Burra Brewing Co, Korumburra;
- Little Bumble Reusable Food Wraps, Warragul;
- South Gippsland Dairy, Korumburra.
Burra Brewing takes a sustainable approach to brewing beer. Credit: Burra Brewing Co 
Little Bumble wraps can be washed and reused several times, and keep food fresh for significantly longer than if it remained unwrapped. Credit: Little Bumble Reusable Food Wraps
Little Bumble Wraps: keeping food fresher longer
Gippsland entrepreneur and winner of Startup Gippsland‘s 2020 Best Overall Pitch Winner Laura Eddington founded Warragul-based Little Bumble Reusable Food Wraps in 2017. Her aim was to provide eco-conscious consumers with a sustainable, plastic-free food wrap, simultaneously helping to reduce food waste by re-purposing honey production by-product beeswax.
To make the wraps, cotton fabric is impregnated with a mix of beeswax and various natural, non-harmful plant oils. Eddington’s premium reusable food wraps extend food’s shelf-life significantly.
The company has grown rapidly, with more than 100 stockists across Australia. It has moved to commercial premises, begun partial automation, been dubbed a ‘food wrap star’ by CHOICE and is now exporting to Singapore.
What is the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award?
F&F G’s annual Awards program ‘celebrates all food and fibre sectors to recognise agribusinesses (pre and post farmgate) that have demonstrated innovation, excellence and business practices that maximise productivity and profitability’, states the organisation.
The competition includes three premier awards – the KPMG Agribusiness of the Year; Australian Rural Leadership Foundation Young Agribusiness Leader of the Year; and Leadership Victoria Female Agribusiness Leader of the Year – as well as 12 awards across the food and fibre industry.
The Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award, backed by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ‘recognises a single individual displaying entrepreneurial spirit, vision and innovation to develop and drive a unique and successful thriving service, business, product or outcome’.
Further information
Find out more about the Excellence in Agribusiness Awards.
See a full list of finalists in this year’s Awards.
Visit Food & Fibre Gippsland’s website.
Sources
Gippsland entrepreneurs impress Excellence Awards judges I Food & Fibre Gippsland News
Impressive line-up of Excellence Awards finalists I Food & Fibre Gippsland News