4 September 2026
2026 Export Gala – Southland to the World
The 2026 Export Gala – Southland to the World, in partnership with DHL, was held, Friday 4 September, at Ascot Park Hotel. The Export Southland Trust welcomed over 200 exporters, businesses and supporters to the prestigious awards dinner.
Highlights of the evening included:
Garston Hops was named winner of the Rio Tinto | NZAS Innovation in Export Award. The family-owned business has established one of the world’s southernmost commercial hop-growing operations and built an international customer base across Australia, North America, the United Kingdom and Europe. Judges recognised its innovative direct-to-brewery model, flexible customer-led supply arrangements and ability to turn overseas customers into advocates for Garston and Southland.
The DHL Southland Export Mentorship was awarded to Rakiura Distilling Co, a boutique Stewart Island distillery producing premium gin and working to build an internationally recognised Southland spirits brand. The mentorship will support the company’s export planning, including market selection, international freight, customs and excise requirements, and importer and distributor readiness.
Huntercraft received the 2026 Export Southland Grant. The Southland boatbuilder has already exported boats to Australia, and will use the support to address a practical workshop and storage bottleneck so it can increase production capacity and respond to growing export demand.
The Graham Dick Memorial Award, proudly supported by McIntyre Dick, was presented to Lady Olive Hutchins in recognition of her remarkable contribution to Southland’s tourism export story. Alongside her husband Les, Lady Olive helped establish the business now known as RealNZ, beginning with the purchase of the Manapouri-Doubtful Sound Tourist Company in 1954. Her vision, courage and lifelong commitment to conservation and tourism helped build an enduring, family-owned enterprise that has taken Southland experiences to visitors from around the world.
The 2026 DHL Export Southland Gala recipients are:
Rio Tinto | NZAS Innovation in Export Award
- Finalists: Garston Hops; Good Guise
- WINNER: GARSTON HOPS
2026 DHL Southland Export Mentorship
- Finalists: Auld Distillery; Back Country Foods; Hit Kit; Rakiura Distilling Co
- WINNER: RAKIURA DISTILLING CO
Recipient of the 2026 Graham Dick Memorial Award
- Lady Olive Hutchins
2026 Export Southland Grant
- Finalists: āhei; Auld Distillery; Backlanz Ltd; Huntercraft
- WINNER: HUNTERCRAFT
Click here to see the 2026 Export Gala photo album: www.facebook.com/share/p/1DrqPSCY8i
