Prominent members of South Australia's hospitality industry were recognised at the Adelaide Convention Centre last Thursday as part of the state's Premier's Food and Beverage Industry Awards.

Businesses, industry stakeholders and friends came together at the Awards Gala Dinner to celebrate outstanding achievements across the past 12 months.

Food manufacturer Mexex was among the big winners on the night, taking out the service, innovation and education categories.

The business, which specialises in ​Aseptic and Hot Fill processing of dairy and vegetable-based products, develops more than 100 new products annually for brands across Australia that are then sold worldwide.

Food South Australia CEO Catherine Sayer said the success of Mexex was an example of the industry's focus on the future.

"We work with businesses who look to the opportunities provided by shared capability and capacity who kick-start innovation, regardless of whether they are new or long established," she said.

“Mexex has recently established the first world gold standard aseptic packaging facility in the Australasian region, a game changing technology for perishable products which can now be produced preservative free, and packed and transported without refrigeration.

"This technology opens up new markets for South Australian food and beverage products, and can also bring other producers across Australia to South Australia because there’s nowhere else in Australia that can process and pack products this way."

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Food South Australia CEO Catherine Sayer. Source: Food South Australia 

Other winners on the night included Managing Director of Golden North, Peter Adamo, who received this year’s Leader Award, and another member of the fourth generation of the Ceravolo family, Joseph Ceravolo, who added his Next Generation Award to the family’s accolades, among which are a Sustainability Award for Ceravolo Orchards and an Innovation Award for their brand Ashton Valley Fresh .

Dave Reilly of Gurra Downs, now the largest date producer in the country, was recognised for his achievements fostering diversification in South Australia’s agricultural industry with the Duncan MacGillivray Entrepreneur Award.

The awards finished on a sweet note when the Consumer Award was awarded to state favourite and iconic brand Haigh’s Chocolates.

SA Premier Steven Marshall, whose office partners with Food SA for the awards, said businesses like those awarded this year were critical to the state’s economy.

“South Australia is renowned for many things, including our first class food, wine and beverages,” he said.

“The winners announced this year show the tremendous depth of talent we have here in our state, with these businesses attracting tourism, creating jobs, and boosting our economy.”

The 2019 South Australian Food and Beverage Industry Awards Winners:

Hall of Fame Inductee

Barossa Fine Foods

Business Excellence Award

Clean Seas Seafood (>15 full time equivalent (FTE) employees)

Oleapak (<15 FTEs)

Emerging Business Award

Australian Fresh Dairy

Export Award

Clean Seas Seafood (>15 FTEs)

Oleapak (<15 FTEs)

Innovation in Business Award

Coopers Brewery (>15 FTEs)

Ashton Valley Fresh (<15 FTEs)

Innovation in Food or Beverage Award

Mexex (>15 FTEs)

Naked Blendz (<15 FTEs)

New Product Award

Beston Global Food Company (>15 FTEs)

Woodside Cheese Wrights (<15 FTEs)

Primary Producer Award

Ceravolo Orchards

Service Provider Award

Mexex (>15 FTEs)

South Australian Analytical Laboratory Services (SAALS) (<15 FTEs)

Sustainability Award

Ceravolo Orchards (>15 FTEs)

Ochre Nation (Team Unico) (<15 FTEs)

Leader Award

Peter Adamo (Managing Director and co-owner, Golden North)

Next Generation Award

Joseph Ceravolo (Operations Manager, Ahston Valley Fresh)

Duncan MacGillivray Entrepreneur Award, sponsored by Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment

Dave Reilly (Managing Director, Gurra Downs Date Company)

Education and Training Award

Mexex

Consumer Award

Haigh’s Chocolates

Click here for more information about the awards.

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