I am delighted to announce the 2022 Australian Exporter of the Year is Bubs Australia - one of Australia's most successful and in-demand exporters of infant nutrition products.
Bubs Australia grew from a Sydney kitchen in 2006, to a leading exporter of organic formula, toddler milks, baby foods and snacks to 10 export markets, including China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the US.
In May this year, Bubs stepped in quickly to assist an ally in need, securing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to ship its infant formula products to help relieve US supply shortages. Bubs shipped more than 1.25 million tins of Bubs infant formula - equal to 27.5 million bottles - to the US as part of the Biden Administration's "Operation Fly Formula".
I would also like to congratulate the Australian exporters who scooped awards in 13 categories:
- Fivecast - Advanced Technologies
- 2GR Wagyu Beef - Agribusiness, Food and Beverages
- Bubs Australia - Agribusiness, Food and Beverages
- Next Level Racing - Creative Industries
- ABI Interiors - E-commerce
- MyVenue - Emerging Exporter
- Stanley College - International Education and Training
- Little Green Pharma - International Health
- REDARC Electronics - Manufacturing and Advanced Materials
- Medical Rescue - Professional Services
- Mort & Co - Regional Exporter
- Coolon - Resources and Energy
- Green Eco Technologies - Small Business
- Rubicon Water - Sustainability
Finally, a big congratulations to the 84 national finalists in this year's awards, who have each made an important contribution to Australia's economy.
Collectively, these exporters employed more than 12,600 Australians and generated over $1.9 billion in export earnings during the last financial year.
Importantly, 41 per cent of the national finalists were led by women, either independently or jointly, and 30 per cent are small businesses with less than 20 employees.
We know small and medium businesses are the engine room of the economy, and I commend all finalists on their success.
We are truly blessed with world-class growers, producers, innovators and creators and the Australian Export Awards is an important program that recognises their collective brilliance.
The quality of the 2022 entrants was befitting of the 60th anniversary of the awards, and I commend the independent panel of judges for what was surely a very difficult task in selecting an overall winner.
The Australian Export Awards are the nation's most prestigious and longest-running export awards program, and the awards made a triumphant return to the Great Hall in Parliament House yesterday evening for a gala dinner, hosted by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), following a virtual ceremony in 2021.
