| 71 Award recognises organic superfood T T Kim Newth Pleasant Point certified organic blackcurrant growers Tony and Afsaneh Howey, who have been producing their ViBERi range since 2011. PRODUCTION Organic NZ Awards Pure, simple, healthy, organic are defining qualities of ViBERi Organic Blackcurrant Powder, picked as winner of the People’s Choice 2021 Organic NZ Food Product of the Year Award. Pleasant Point certified organic blackcurrant growers Tony and Afsaneh Howey, who have been producing their ViBERi range since 2011, are delighted with the accolade. “We think it’s really good that a simple, single ingredient product that’s good for your health can win this award,” says Tony. As Afsaneh observes, blackcurrants do not lose any nutritional value through the ViBERi freeze dry/powdering process. In fact, they are just as good in powdered form as fresh, with ViBERi Organic Blackcurrant Powder providing a perfect superfood boost – and natural colour burst – for smoothies, yoghurt, breakfast cereals and baking. “We’ve been spreading the word on the good health properties of organic blackcurrants over the past ten years at various shows and expos, so it’s nice to see that message being recognised and acknowledged,” she says. ViBERi is the largest BioGro-certified organic blackcurrant farm in New Zealand. The 72 hectare property produces up to 300 tonnes per year. South Canterbury, with its cold winters, is an ideal location for blackcurrants. “The colder the winter, the higher the anthocyanins or antioxidant levels and the better it is for blackcurrant growth,” explains Tony. “Anthocyanins are compounds that help boost circulation and support the metabolism. Our blackcurrants have extremely high levels of Vitamin C too, which works in combination with the anthocyanins to support good health and immunity. People are becoming ever more conscious of blackcurrants now, especially in these Covid times.” ViBERi Organic Blackcurrant powder is popular with top New Zealand sports teams and elite athletes, who use it as a support for muscle recovery. ViBERi gives back, in turn, through sport sponsorship partnerships, for example with World Cup champion pro mountain biker Anton Cooper. As well as offering a wide range of wholesale and bulk purchasing options, ViBERi has developed an online shop on its website, Certified organic blackcurrants are sold not only as powder but also as freeze dried fruit, soft dried, rolled in organic chocolate, and as a concentrate or puree. ViBERi supplies organic blackcurrants as an ingredient for others in the health food sector and has recently signed a deal with a US based company to supply a concentrated organic blackcurrant extract as a health supplement. Packs of frozen ViBERi organic blackcurrants are a big seller in the domestic market. Packs of mixed frozen organic blackcurrants, red currants and blueberries have also recently joined the line-up in South Island supermarkets, (sold as the Superberi Mix). ViBERi has an IQF or free flow freezing plant and another plant for grading and packing. Goals for 2022 include further improvement in agronomic performance and growing exports into Australia, the US and Europe. 2021 Organic NZ Award Winners At last September’s online awards event, hosted by Ruud Kleinpaste, six winners were recognised for creating exceptional organic products that work for people, planet, wildlife and the climate. Peer reviewed winners of 2021 Organic NZ Awards were: Cathy Tait-Jamieson, Biofarm (Organic NZ Leader of the Year); Niva and Yotam Kay, Pakaraka Permaculture (Organic NZ Farmer of the Year) and Bostock NZ (Organic NZ Brand of the Year). People’s Choice award winners were: ViBERi - Organic Blackcurrant Powder (Organic Food Product of the Year), IncaFé Organic Coffee (Organic NZ Beverage Product of the Year), and Roots, Shoots & Fruits – Rootella, (Organic NZ Non-food Product of the Year). Business Advice | Accounting | Bookkeeping | HR Services Better Business, Better Life. rightway.co.nz • Centre Pivots Irrigators • Diesel Pump Sets • Hard Hose Irrigators • Hoses • Soft Hose Irrigators • Pumps • PVC & Poly pipe Phone: 03 688 2413 Fax: 03 688 2412 Lyndon Baxter: 027 522 9837 196 Timaru Temuka Highway Seadown Baxter Irrigation Ltd
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=