TAS - Telstra Australian Business Awards

‘We are proud of establishing a reputation as the one-stop-shop for consultancy on flavour and quality of fresh produce in Australia.’ Dr Hazel MacTavish-West, Director

After 11 years in the UK working as a consultant to the food and farming industry, Dr Hazel MacTavish-West and her husband Darren West returned to Tasmania for a better work-life balance. Upon settling back home, Hazel, a plant scientist, and Darren, who has a science and engineering degree and a background in computer hardware design, combined their skills and established MacTavish West. The company uses food science to help farmers or manufacturers improve the flavour, colour and nutritional quality of their plant-derived products. It also assists with the extraction, purification and analysis of plant extracts for commercial use. MacTavish West is now assisting with the development of a new range of natural anti-ageing bioactive extracts from a range of plants as part of an Australian Government-funded project. It also provides software, hardware and systems design with experience in a number of commercial sectors including avionics, high performance computing platforms, and communications systems.

‘We were keen to produce and market a new and exciting addition to Australia's food industry which would add to Tasmania's reputation as a producer of premium-quality foods from a world-renowned natural environment.’ Stephen Welsh, Managing Director

Shima Wasabi is dedicated to producing and selling the prized Japanese vegetable and condiment wasabi to leading Australian restaurants, the food service industry, and selected overseas markets. Until recently fresh, authentic wasabi was not available in Australia due to the difficulty of growing it in warmer climates and the high cost of importation. Following 12 years of research and development, the company developed a unique climate-controlled hydroponic production system mimicking Japan’s cold mountain conditions. In 2009, the business began exporting small volumes to Singapore, Germany, and Hong Kong. It is now the largest wasabi crop in the southern hemisphere. Co-owners Stephen and Karen Welsh started the venture to capitalise on their broad range of skills and experience in horticultural production and interest in new crops. In 2011, they were national winners in the ‘From the Earth’ category at the Delicious Magazine Produce Awards.

‘TasIVF has set the benchmark for high quality and affordable IVF services in Australia.’ Dr Bill Watkins, Owner

One man’s vision to provide an affordable full service fertility clinic to Tasmania has seen TasIVF continue to grow even amid a national decline of in-vitro fertilization pregnancy attempts. TasIVF was established as a part-time service in Hobart in 1983 as Tasmania's first in-vitro fertilization clinic and one of the first in Australia. It continued as a part-time service until 1996 when Dr Watkins joined the unit. Having completed sub-specialist fertility training in Melbourne, he wanted to establish a full-time unit specialising in affordable fertility services. Dr Watkins also sponsors patients to access specialised support services for infertile couples. In 2007, he obtained sole ownership of the unit and has since grown TasIVF to 20 full-time staff, a clinic in Launceston and its own theatre, counsellors and a laboratory. The business puts its success down to being patient-focussed and excellence in staff performance achieved through a commitment to high quality training.

‘Never underestimate your competition and try and keep ahead of them by constantly improving product through investments in research and development.’ Diane Tompson, Director

Lightning and surge protection solutions manufacturer, Novaris, has emerged from Tasmania to become a global leader in its field. An electrical engineer, Philip founded the company with Diane in 1993 in a workshop and soon after needed to move to their current factory in Kingston. From there the manufacturing side of the business developed quickly with the establishment of a distributor network which operates throughout Australia and progressively through South East Asia. In 2003, they set up a manufacturing base in Malaysia and this year the company opened Novaris Europe to tap into new markets. Novaris – a Latin word which means ‘to innovate’ - operates a full-time research and development group, employing professional engineers and technical officers to stay ahead of its competition. The company now employs 30 staff and has consistently increased revenues after almost 20 years of operation despite fierce international competition.

‘We were keen to produce and market a new and exciting addition to Australia's food industry which would add to Tasmania's reputation as a producer of premium-quality foods from a world-renowned natural environment.’ Stephen Welsh, Managing Director

Shima Wasabi is dedicated to producing and selling the prized Japanese vegetable and condiment wasabi to leading Australian restaurants, the food service industry, and selected overseas markets. Until recently fresh, authentic wasabi was not available in Australia due to the difficulty of growing it in warmer climates and the high cost of importation. Following 12 years of research and development, the company developed a unique climate-controlled hydroponic production system mimicking Japan’s cold mountain conditions. In 2009, the business began exporting small volumes to Singapore, Germany, and Hong Kong. It is now the largest wasabi crop in the southern hemisphere. Co-owners Stephen and Karen Welsh started the venture to capitalise on their broad range of skills and experience in horticultural production and interest in new crops. In 2011, they were national winners in the ‘From the Earth’ category at the Delicious Magazine Produce Awards.