2021 WINNERS
Taupō Debretts Spa Resort won the top award of the Overall Business of the Year at the 2021 Unison Great Lake Taupō Business Awards.
The virtual event was streamed live from the awards website after the recent Covid 19 outbreak foiled the original Gala Dinner awards, which was due to take place on the 20th of August.
The finalists all zoomed in, as their categories were announced by the two MC’s Jules Harvey and Locky McNeil, and simultaneously popped their finalist balloons that had been delivered to them earlier in the day. The balloons were a different touch to try and bring some interactiveness into the evening, and were a great way to announce where each finalist had placed through the colour of confetti that filled the balloon.
Taupō Debretts Spa Resort earlier won the Strettons Excellence in Business – Large Business category and the Taupō District Council Excellence in Environmental Sustainability award, and was then awarded the supreme award is recognition of their overall business excellence.
Other big winners on the night included Freedom Tribe Pilates who won the Tremains Excellence In Business – Micro Business category and ; and Huka Falls River Cruise who scooped a win in the Quality Print Excellence In Environmental Sustainability as well as being Highly Commended for the More FM Excellence In Community Contribution award.
The entrants were judged by both business academics and industry experts from Hamilton and Tauranga and were scored on written entries, site visits and a mystery shop. A sell-out crowd of 350 businesspeople and supporters were on hand to celebrate the achievements and successes of all the finalists and the winners on the night.
The 2021 Unison Great Lake Taupō Business Awards Recipients are:
Tremains Micro Business
Winner – Freedom Tribe Pilates
Highly Commended – Huka Falls River Cruise
Vine Eatery & Bar Small/Medium Business
Winner – Big Brown Paws Doggie Daycare & Grooming
Highly Commended – Spacecraft
Strettons Large Business
Winner – Taupo DeBretts
Highly Commended – Lava Glass
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Not For Profit
Winner – Thrive
Highly Commended – Tongariro National Trout Centre
Legend Excellence in Social Media & Marketing
Winner – Landmark Homes
Highly Commended – Spacecraft
Amplify Excellence in Innovation
Winner – Incredible India Restaurant
Highly Commended – Unichem Mainstreet Pharmacy
Taupō District Council Excellence in Environmental
Sustainability
Winner – Taupo DeBretts
Highly Commended – Tongariro National Trout Centre
More FM Excellence in Community Contribution
Winner – Total Sport
Highly Commended – The Cozy Corner
Cargill Stent Clarke Lawyers Excellence in Leadership
Winner – Reviva
Highly Commended – Spacecraft
BNZ People’s Choice
Winner – Pure LED
Unison Overall Business of the Year
Taupo DeBretts