Media Release
American Investment Earns Fonterra Supreme Award
AmCham-UPS Awards Announce Leading USA-NZ Success & Innovation
Auckland, 25 September 2008 Investment trumped import and export successes to win the Supreme Award at the AmCham-UPS
Success & Innovation Awards last night at Auckland’s Hyatt Hotel, as New Zealand’s largest company, Fonterra, were named Investor
of the Year and the Supreme Winner.
Fonterra’s win recognises the significance of their US$2.5 million investment in relocating their US headquarters to
Chicago, moving closer to key customers, suppliers and dairy research centres. Fonterra also spent US$70 million in
expanding their capabilities across the nine processing sites they operate within the US.
The Supreme Award is chosen from the winners of each of the five categories presented on the night. Fonterra, as
Investor of the Year, beat out strong competition from Endace Ltd, winner of the Exporter of the Year over $5M,
Wellington Drive Technologies, Exporter of the Year $500K - $5M, Thereon Holdings Ltd, Exporter of the Year under $500K,
and Importer of the Year, Tidd Ross Todd.
The AmCham-UPS Awards, staged in conjunction with Air New Zealand, celebrate success and innovation in the import,
export and investment sectors between New Zealand and its second largest trading partners the US.
“New Zealand’s bilateral trade relationship with the US is worth more than $8 billion annually and the American Chamber
of Commerce in New Zealand is constantly looking for opportunities to enhance and expand business and trade
relationships within the private and public sectors,” said AmCham president Mark Fitz-Gerald. “The annual Success & Innovation Awards provides an opportunity to showcase companies that have demonstrated imagination, innovation and
entrepreneurship, and to honour and celebrate their achievements.”
In attendance at the awards was US Ambassador to New Zealand, William P. McCormick who presented the Importer of the
Year Award, along with the Minister of Economic Development, Hon. Pete Hodgson, who presented the exporter categories.
In addition to AmCham, UPS and Air New Zealand, the awards are supported by Baldwins, Ernst and Young and New Zealand
Trade & Enterprise.
Previous winners of the Supreme Award have included Zespri International, Peace Software, Airways Corporation,
HumanWare, Tenon, Orion Systems International, Zeacom and last year’s winner SMI Group.
ENDS