2026 ELECTRA BUSINESS & INNOVATION AWARDS WINNERS
CATEGORY AWARDS
CONSTRUCTION & TRADES
Sponsored by Mills Albert Ltd
From a small local installation operation to a nationwide supplier, Premium Garage Doors has combined strong growth, ecommerce, direct importing and product development with genuine investment in people. A 5-star reputation and steady, sustained growth reflect a resilient, ambitious construction business built for national growth.
CONSUMER SERVICES
Sponsored by Kapinua
Nation Beauty stood out for turning smart innovation into real client care. Using new technology to make every visit easier and more personal for their clients. This, backed by a close-knit, well-trained team and a loyal, fast-growing client base, is setting the standard for what modern consumer service should feel like.
HOSPITALITY, ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM
Sponsored by Zebunisso Alimova - Mike Pero Mortgages
The Custard Pie has turned smart, low-cost changes into big results - smoother operations, standout local marketing and a warm, well-supported team. Backed by genuine community generosity and consistent customer care, this is a small business that has truly earned its place at the top.
MANUFACTURING, PRODUCTION & PROCESSING
Sponsored by MTF Kāpiti
Udderly Organic has built a genuinely vertically integrated operation, from certified organic farm to creamery to bottle - scaling production dramatically in under three years. Smart process innovations like the milk tap and billy system, extended shelf life and a gelato line turning waste into opportunity showing manufacturing excellence at every stage.
NOT FOR PROFIT, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SERVICES
Sponsored by LT McGuinness
Entirely volunteer-led, Otaki Community Women's Club has delivered outcomes that reflect genuine strategic thinking and heart - scaling the Kids Market from one site to eight, engaging hundreds of young entrepreneurs, and building strong governance and succession planning along the way. Backed by real community trust and environmental care, this is grassroots excellence at its finest.
PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES, OR TECHNOLOGY
Sponsored by Graphic Press & Packaging
Pou Architecture stands out for combining deep professional expertise with a genuine, culturally grounded point of difference. Strong client trust, evidenced by referral-led growth and enduring relationships, sits alongside a diversified project portfolio spanning residential, commercial, marae and community work - proof that values-led design and commercial rigour can go hand in hand.
RETAIL
Sponsored by New World Levin
We Love Local has built a standout retail model - curating premium, artisan products from over 200 local producers and scaling that story to customers in dozens of countries, all powered by smart technology and a small dedicated team. It's proof that genuine community values and commercial ambition can grow hand in hand.
SPECIAL AWARDS
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE - HOROWHENUA
Sponsored by The Horowhenua Company
Udderly Organic wins customers through genuine, face-to-face relationships - free first deliveries, farm visits, samples and hands-on retailer support. That personal touch has turned customers into a loyal, fast-growing network across Horowhenua, with reliable service, flexibility and real care behind every delivery, drop and doorstep conversation.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE - KĀPITI
Sponsored by Spark Business Hub Kāpiti
From handwritten gift notes to same-day dispatch, We Love Local treats every customer like a neighbour, not a transaction. Backed by outstanding reviews, loyal repeat clients and a beloved reusable wooden box programme, this Kāpiti business proves that genuine warmth and reliability can scale without ever feeling impersonal.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Sponsored by ANZ Bank of New Zealand
Udderly Organic has embedded sustainability into every part of its farm-to-bottle model, including solar-powered production, water reuse, an eco-friendly CO2 chiller and a genuine circular economy for returned milk, turned into gelato, café supply and calf feed. Reusable glass and steel packaging complete a business built on real environmental leadership.
INNOVATION
Sponsored by Elite Diagnostics
Premium Garage Doors turned industry frustrations into innovation - developing the SR Series door range, a universal bottom seal system, and Bird Brush products, while building a scalable Shopify ecommerce platform and a nationwide reseller network including Mitre 10. From local installer to national product innovator, this business is redefining its industry.
SUB-CATEGORY AWARDS
NEW/EMERGING BUSINESS
Sponsored by Kāpiti Business Chamber
In under three years, Udderly Organic has grown from a fledgling farm gate idea into a thriving, vertically integrated organic brand. Bold, considered decisions around production, packaging and distribution, paired with genuine innovation like its gelato range, make them one of the region's most exciting new businesses.
SMALL BUSINESS
Sponsored by NZME
From a small, director-led studio, Pou Architecture has grown into a genuinely distinctive practice - reaching across Aotearoa and the Pacific while staying true to a warm, whānau-led culture and hands-on client care. Resilience through a tough construction environment, paired with real cultural leadership, shows what a small business can achieve.
JUDGES’ AWARD - HEART OF THE COMMUNITY
Four Square Shannon is the true heart of its town - creating local jobs, paying its people fairly, and stepping in to save a struggling local fish and chip shop rather than watch it close. From food bank support to genuine staff compassion, this is a business that puts community first, every single day.
ELECTRA BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Electra
Udderly Organic is a standout example of what a modern, values-led business can achieve - rapid, disciplined growth, genuine sustainability, loyal customers and a proud, connected team, all built on a fully vertically integrated organic model. Innovative, community-minded and built to last, this is Business of the Year at its best.
