WA businesses, The Chia Company (The Chia Co) and Cooperative Bulk Handling (the CBH Group) were among 10 winners at the National Australia Bank (NAB) Agribusiness Award for Excellence ceremony in Melbourne last week.
Some of Australia's top companies and individuals in the agriculture, food, fibre and beverage sectors were recognised at the 15th annual event run by Monash University and NAB Agribusiness.
NAB's general manager for Agribusiness, Khan Horne, said the awards had once again highlighted some of the amazing technology and techniques being used in the agricultural industry throughout the country.
"Agribusiness is proving to be a resilient sector in the Australian economy and our winners exemplify why this is the case," Mr Horne said.
The Chia Co was awarded the Innovation in New & Emerging Industries award sponsored by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).
The Kimberley-based company was founded in 2003 and had since become the largest and highest quality producer of raw chia seeds in the world.
Not only did the company directors develop an entirely new agricultural industry for Australia but also a world best-practice supply chain and strategic marketing campaign to introduce chia to the Australian community.
Founder and managing director John Foss said the market response to the launch of the new chia products had been incredible.
"We are very proud of our achievement in developing a brand new industry for Australian farmers as well creating the opportunity for the health benefits of chia to be available to all Australians on a daily basis," he said.
"The development of The Chia Co and the Australian chia industry has been about innovation at all stages of the supply chain from our farms through to our customers' food products.
"We consider the NAB Agribusiness Awards for Excellence to be the most prestigious awards for agribusiness in Australia and being the winner of the Innovation in New and Emerging Industries award recognises our team's efforts in developing the industry over the past decade."
Chia is a rich source of protein, fibre and Omega 3 and The Chia Co developed the raw seed into a range of other products including ground seed, oil, flour, bran and powdered goods.
The company worked closely with research organisations to develop chia ingredients which have been used by other companies in Australia like Fonterra, Emma & Tom's and Bakers Delight.
Bakers Delight has sold more than four million loaves of chia bread since its launch at the start of the year.
The chia industry is estimated to be worth about $20 million to the region in five years and there are plans to develop the industry throughout the north of Australia.
It wasn't the CBH Group's first win at the NAB Agribusiness Award for Excellence.
The company was named the Employer of Choice in 2008 and 2009 and was also awarded the Governance award in 2009.
The CBH Group was presented with the Risk Management award for 2010 sponsored by Grant Thornton.
Originally established in 1933 to provide bulk handling facilities to WA grain growers, the CBH Group has total assets and a turnover worth more than $1.5 billion.
It receives an annual harvest of 10 million tonnes, has a storage and handling network of nearly 200 receival points throughout WA and markets more than five million tonnes a year to around 20 export destinations and domestic buyers.
A spokesperson for NAB Agribusiness said the CBH Group had a well established and formalised approach to risk management and adhered to the International Organisation for Standardisation's risk management guidance as a part of its system.
CBH Group's chief risk officer Rob Maurich said winning again was great recognition for the CBH Board and the hard work of all those involved.
"Obviously there's a lot we can't control, like the weather, but we have put significant effort into risk management over the last seven years, and our market risk functions are now first class," Mr Maurich said.
Other awards for the evening included the Leader of the Year (Emerald Group chairman Alan Winney); Primary Producer of the Year (Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm); Export (Fonterra Australia); Environment and Energy Management (Taylor's Wines); Rural Enterprise (Brookfarm); Employer of Choice (Pfizer Animal Health); Technology & Innovation (AgTechnix) and Governance (Namoi Cotton Co-op).
