Victoria has dominated this year's annual Australian Organic Awards for Excellence with the top five awards going to Victorian producers, with South Melbourne's Whole Kids named Business of the Year.
Victorian mushroom farmer Chris McLoghlin was chosen as Farmer of the Year in the fifth annual national organics awards.
Winners from other states Australia included yoghurt maker Coyo Organics from Queensland which was named Export Market Leader, and Sativa Skincare in NSW won Certified Organic Cosmetic Product of the Year (see below for full list).
Industry peak group Australian Organic noted the innovative contributions members of the nation’s organic industry have made over the past year.
The not-for-profit Australian Organic has established an organic certification scheme to independently verify that farmers and processors are producing in accord with set standards and have also introduced the Bud logo symbol that ensures the integrity of organic products in the marketplace for consumers.
Demand for organic products are growing consistently year on year and the 2018 Market Report compiled by Australian Organic reveals the nation’s organic industry is now worth $2.4 billion.
The total value of exports is now in excess of $700 million per annum with exports growing more than 15 per cent annually (compound growth rate).
Fruit, vegies, nuts, meat and eggs account for three quarters of the value with sectors growing considerably since 2014.
Dr Andrew Monk, retiring Chairman of Australian Organic, says the emerging and sustained export growth across red meat, wines, dairy and horticultural products is a particularly exciting feature of the industry now.
“It really highlights a maturing in terms of supply chains and supply-ability to the world,” he says. “There is growing demand, both domestically and internationally for Australian certified organic products, and the integrity that is associated with the brand and the Bud logo,” Dr Monk says.
INDUSTRY CATEGORIES
Best Organic Market Innovator
WINNER: Australian Organic Food Co Soup (Braeside, VIC)
Certified Organic Wine Business of the Year
WINNER: Kalleske Wines (Greenock, SA)
Export Market Leader
WINNER: COYO Organic (Yandina, QLD)
PRODUCT CATEGORIES
Best New Certified Organic Product of the Year
WINNER: Soulfresh Lo Bros COLA Kombucha (Altona North, VIC)
Certified Organic Food Product of the Year
WINNER: Cleaver’s Organic Chicken Nuggets (Toowoomba, QLD)
Certified Organic Non-Food Product of the Year
WINNER: TOM Organic Female Hygiene (St Kilda, VIC)
Certified Organic Alcoholic Beverage of the Year
WINNER: Kalleske Wines (Greenock, SA)
Certified Organic Non-Alcoholic Beverage of the Year
WINNER: Bean Ground and Drunk Coffee (Reservoir, VIC)
Certified Organic Cosmetic Product of the Year
WINNER: SATIVA Skincare (Bangalow, NSW)
MARKETING CATEGORIES
Best Organic Influencer
WINNER: Mukti Organics (Maleny, QLD)
OVERALL CATEGORIES
Farmer of the Year
WINNER: Chris McLoghlin, Mycelia Organics (Diggers Rest/Lockwood South VIC)
Business of the Year
WINNER: Whole Kids (South Melbourne, VIC)
Retailer of the Year
WINNER: Apples and Sage Organic Wholefoods (Balwyn VIC)
Young Organic Leader
WINNER: Daniel Spotswood, Mt Alma Organics (Inkerman, QLD)
Chairman’s Award
WINNER: Mulloon Creek Natural Farms, The Mulloon Institute (Bungendore, NSW)
WINNER: Anni Brownjohn, Ozganics (Murwillumbah, NSW)
Hall of Fame
WINNER: The Booth Family, Mary and David Booth, Buronga Organics (Cootamundra, NSW)
WINNER: The Druce Family, Coral and Neil Druce, Green Grove Organics (Junee, NSW)
