Victoria’s best exporters were acknowledged at the 38th Governor of Victoria Export Awards (GOVEAs), with businesses in digital stock trading, goat soap and abalone each taking home prestigious awards.
Pepperstone Group, DPP Pharmaceuticals and Yumbah Aquaculture were presented with awards for digital technology, agribusiness and e-commerce respectively.
Melbourne-based Pepperstone Group also won the Victorian Exporter of the Year Award as one of the world’s fastest growing foreign exchange brokers with clients in more than 170 countries.
DPP Pharmaceuticals, made famous by its ‘Goat Soap’, has continued to take advantage of e-commerce and sold more than 350,000 units of Goat Soap in one day last November as part of China’s yearly ‘Singles Day’ – the largest online shopping day in the world.
Yumbah Aquaculture, based in south-west Victoria, was founded in 1999 and is currently the largest abalone producer in the southern hemisphere, supplying close to 60 per cent of all cultured abalone produced in Australia.
The GOVEAs increase exposure for local businesses at both a national and international level, giving them more opportunities to create international connections and local jobs.
This year’s GOVEA awards attracted more than 50 high-profile business applications from across Victoria, with high representation throughout the state’s regional areas and across the emerging e-commerce category.
Exports of goods and services are incredibly important to Victoria’s economy and were valued at more than $46 billion in the year to June – the strongest growth in the country and the highest in Victoria in the last five years.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Trade and Investment Philip Dalidakis
”It’s great to see such a diverse range of Victorian businesses exporting their products, services and expertise – creating local jobs in the process.”
“A huge congratulations to each Victorian business that entered this year’s GOVEAs and the best of luck to those winners that will now have a chance to win an Australian Export Award.”
Full list of 2017 Governor of Victoria Export Award winners:
Regional Exporter Award
Bortana Pty Ltd – Golden Square
Creative Industries Award
Envato – Melbourne
Environmental Solutions Award
Geofabrics Australasia – Braeside
Small Business Award
Anatomics Pty Ltd – St Kilda
Agribusiness Award
Yumbah Aquaculture Ltd – Allestree
Manufacturing Award
Ego Pharmaceuticals – Braeside
Minerals, Energy and Related Services Award
MMG Limited – Southbank
Business Services Award
Flight Safety Foundation - Melbourne
E-Commerce Award
DPP Pharmaceuticals – Reservoir
Health & Biotechnology
Leica Biosystems – Mt Waverley
Education and Training Award
Deakin University – Geelong
Digital Technology Award
Pepperstone – Melbourne
Victorian Women in International Business Award
Lyn Stribley (Mining One) – Melbourne
Victorian Exporter of the Year
Pepperstone – Melbourne
Victorian Export Award for Innovation Excellence
Harris C4i Pty Ltd– Melbourne
Reviewed 19 August 2020