| 3 “We’re spoilt for choice and we do have a really good community spirit as well. We’re going places and we’re constantly proving that we just get things done. We’re really pushing that lid on the whole innovation area.” Karla Lee Innovation a driver for HB renaissance Richard Loader Sunshine and sea: viticulture is just one of Hawke’s Bays’ thriving primary industry sector. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Hawke’s Bay is enjoying an enviable upwards growth trajectory that extends well beyond its traditional roots and deserved reputation as the food and wine basket of Aotearoa. Underpinning the east coast region’s economic upwave is a potpourri of key projects, innovation, domestic immigration, entrepreneurism, tourism and an eternal optimism from those who sail the ship through fair and rough winds. North to south, the Bay stretches from Wairoa, drops down to the twin cities of Napier and Hastings and then follows through to Central Hawke’s Bay, ending in the rural area of Takapau. Centrally located between the North Island’s two major cities of Auckland and Wellington, Hawke’s Bay is rich in its coast line, rivers, proximity to mountains for skiing and an abundance of delicious produce, making it a highly desirable place to live and raise families. 2020 figures put Hawke’s Bay’s population at 176,530, with the Hastings/Havelock North/ Clive area the most heavily populated at 88,000, closely followed by Napier at 65,000. Predictions are that those population estimates will grow to 181,800 by next year. The region’s primary industry includes agriculture, horticulture, honey and viticulture. Best known for its very full reds, and chardonnay, the Bay is one of New Zealand’s largest and oldest wine growing areas. In years gone by, the writer spent many happy weekends enjoying the hospitality at Vidals Wine Bar in Hastings, partaking in the nectar. Sixty-six percent of all apples grown in New Zealand are from Hawke’s Bay. Sheep, cattle and deer farming features highly in the Bay’s agricultural line up. Forestry is also creating wealth for the region and Pan Pac is the region’s largest grower, with 35,000 hectares currently in production forestry. Supporting these industries is a very active manufacturing/processing industry, adding value to the primary products. Employing 833 FTE’s, vertically integrated Pan Pac is one of the largest employers in the region, processing logs into lumber and pulp at the Whirinaki plant. East Coast Lumber is another large player, processing forestry products in Wairoa. Silver Fern Farms, Turners & Growers, and the iconic Heinz Wattie’s plant play significant roles in the Bay, enjoying valued relationships with second and third generation grower/ suppliers. And all these wonderful products give rise to another industry — export. As well as supplying and feeding ourselves, Kiwi made products are highly sought after on the world stage and Hawke’s Bay is ideally placed to produce, manufacture and export the product, predominantly through Napier Port - the gateway to global markets. Beyond primary production, Hawke’s Bay tourism is alive and very well indeed, with the Bay fast becoming a key destination for New Zealand, replete with amazing cycle and hiking trails, everything on the water, a plethora of wineries, and lots of locally grown food. A passionate advocate of the Bay, Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce CEO Karla Lee says, notwithstanding the importance of the region’s large business players, the country is built on small businesses and cannot be forgotten. “While the big players are key in setting up important pathways it’s the small businesses that drives all of that. When you have the big horticultural players like Turners & Growers, you can’t forget the small boutique growers like Bay Blueberries. And we have a lot of services in Hawke’s Bay that support everyone. I think they’re really the unsung heroes of the business network.” Karla says over the last couple of years there has been significant growth in small business with a lot more entrepreneurs coming through. “Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce has been running start-up courses, which we never did before. Then you have the business coaches and support systems, the accountants and lawyers. Every business needs help and leadership training, they need marketing, they need digital enablement, and help with governance. We don’t talk about those businesses so much but they’re really relevant and important and an imperative part of our eco-system. Innovation is one of the key drivers for growth.” Currently under construction, the Food Innovation Hub, will assist businesses to develop new products and take them to market. It will also employ an additional 500 FTEs. With the right website, the world is yours. Let’s build it, together. C0 M0 Y0 K0 caddiedigital.co.nz Supporting regional growth... behind the scenery Could the Bay become the next Silicon Valley — possibly. Karla says a number of hi-tech businesses have made the Bay their home and are growing on a steep trajectory. “There’s Re-Leased, which creates innovative commercial property management software. We also have Fingermark, which creates intelligent data-driven solutions. They are just some of the top tech organisations here that are pushing innovation through Hawke’s Bay. Innovation is rising quite dramatically in Hawke’s Bay, across the board. We’re talking about automation and digital enablement to increase productivity. As an example, our fruit will be grown in a different way, which will enable robotics to harvest the fruit. Beyond hi-tech, we also have a pet food company establishing a multi-million-dollar plant here, relocating its operations from Tauranga. So, we have a lot of big players here, who are wanting to do more and finding that Hawke’s Bay is the place to do it.” Napier Port’s recently opened Te Whiti wharf will open up new opportunities for the region and enable larger ships to enter, including large cruise liners. “We’re spoilt for choice and we do have a really good community spirit as well. We’re going places and we’re constantly proving that we just get things done. We’re really pushing that lid on the whole innovation area. Basically, the Bay is just a great place to live — people, place, weather, food, wine and innovation.”
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