Latest News

World Class medical facility adds much needed cancer treatment facility

The new world class elective surgery facility in Hastings is being super-sized with the announcement of a second stage which will bring much needed cancer care services to Hawke’s Bay. Kaweka Health’s Managing Director, Dr Colin Hutchison, today announced an additional 7,000m2 of clinical space including a critical care ward, local cancer diagnosis and treatment services and a cardiac catheterisation...

Retirement on hold for Fidel

He may be 81 years old but that doesn’t stop Fidel Russ turning up to his job as production manager at Wood Mallets in Central Hawke’s Bay at 5.30am four mornings a week. Wood Mallets, located east of Otane, exports hand-crafted polo sticks and croquet mallets to more than 50 countries and Fidel has worked for the business since 1991....

Bumpy flight but Hawke’s Bay airport takes off

The path to getting to the major milestone has had more turbulence than a flight into Wellington on a stormy day, and as the airport’s chief executive Stuart Ainslie says, the adversity has created a more resilient airport as well as a stunning gateway to the Bay. Stuart himself arrived to the role after the design plans and the terminal...

New Zealand businesses urged to up game to unleash Blockchain opportunities

New Zealand businesses need to up their game and adopt a plan to embrace de-centralised technology or are at risk being left behind according to some leading Blockchain advocates. Stefan Korn, Chief Product Officer, Callaghan Innovation, Blockchain expert Mark Pascall and agribusiness business leader and founder of Carrickmore, a dairy export company specialising in marketing infant formula Chris Claridge believe...

The Business of influencing

Being paid to give your opinion on anything and everything sounds like a dream job, and it is for a number of Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand influencers. In the age of social media, the role of influencers has become pivotal in reaching targeted and general audiences. What do these influencers have that you and I don’t? Followers. Followers on...

Local workplace Suicide Prevention Programme has instant impact

Many of us have been impacted by the loss of a family member, friend or work colleague to suicide. Between July 2018–June 2019, 654 suspected self-inflicted deaths (SSIDs) were reported in New Zealand, 46 of these were in Hawke’s Bay. At that time the national average of SSIDs was 12.86 per 100,000 population – Hawke’s Bay was double that at...

Rockit apple founder looks to raise $15 million for innovative cherry business

Successful primary sector Entrepreneur Phil Alison has commenced a $15 million capital raise for his vertically integrated Cherry business, Cherri Global. In 2002 Mr Alison launched Rockit, a miniature-sized apple packaged and marketed in tubes which has enjoyed international success and he is taking the same approach to disrupt the global cherry market. After selling his shareholding in Rockit in...

Cricket loving duo go into bat for retirees

Cricket-loving father and son Barry and James Rosenberg have combined their knowledge and experience to produce an e-book called 65 Not Out, which is aimed at helping people plan for retirement. Barry, a career chartered accountant who now specialises in family business and farm succession planning, and James, Frimley Lifestyle Village manager, used a cricketing term as the name for...

Mentoring is positive for the soul and community

The rest of New Zealand envies the Hawke’s Bay lifestyle and enormous potential our region has to offer. We’re renowned for our fertile soils, excellent climate, world-class Port, and the talented and entrepreneurial people who live here. At the same time, we locals must concede that Hawke’s Bay is a community in crisis. Levels of family violence and drug and...

Food hub ready to go

With the i’s almost dotted and the t’s almost crossed, the construction of Foodeast will be underway by September. The building of Hawke’s Bay’s Food Innovation Network hub, the sixth in New Zealand, is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. It will be a place of innovation and connection, designed to add value to the region’s food,...