A late surge in the number of businesses entering the 2024 ANZ Business of the Year Awards has led organisers to extend the deadline for entries.

Over 100 entries had been received by 31 October, a 40 per cent increase on the 2022 event, and the deadline has now been extended to 21 November.

Council is partnering with Ri Ra Events to run the biennial awards, and Ri Ra marketing director Colm McGrath said he was delighted with the level of interest in the 2024 awards.

“The objective of the awards is to celebrate business success in our region. We have to credit ANZ and our category partners for helping us to promote and scale the event. With the extension, there’s still some time to enter and we’re encouraging all business in our region to do so.”

He said businesses could enter multiple categories.

“The most popular categories so far are Excellence in Retail and Hospitality, Emerging Business and Excellence in Customer Experience.”

Other popular categories were Excellence in Community Impact and Excellence in Professional Services.

The award categories were expanded for 2024, following feedback from entrants in the inaugural awards. Some categories now break down into small or medium/large businesses.

The categories are: Primary industries, technology and innovation, environmental sustainability, export, customer experience, and workplace culture.

There are other awards for excellence in emerging new business, community impact, emerging business leader, business leadership, manufacturing, retail and hospitality, and tourism.

Mr McGrath said the business awards endeavoured to celebrate excellence and give high achieving businesses in the Ashburton District a pat on the back for their creativity and passion.

To enter, and for more information, businessoftheyear.nz

Thank you to our category and service partners for the 2024 ANZ Business of the Year Awards.

Category Partners: ANZCO Foods, Silk Estate, Ashburton Toyota, Catalyst Performance Agronomy, Ashburton Toyota, Abbotts Insurance,  Croys, Trinity Employment Services, Naylor Love, Kaipak, Mt Hutt, Experience Mid Canterbury, Talley’s Group Ashburton.

Service Partners: Lushingtons Garden Centre, Electraserve Ashburton, Jones Family Farm, Sabelle Skin and Body Care, Twelfth Hour Distillery, Ashburton Toyota, DB Breweries, Silk Estate, House of Jam, Mediaworks.