Chia celebrating a stellar year
A Nelson drink company is celebrating a stellar launch year, topped off with the Supreme Award at the ANZ Flying Start Business Plan Competition.
Chia Ltd, the company behind the all-natural, superfood health drink Chia, took out the national competition last month, ahead of over 600 entries from businesses throughout New Zealand.
As part of the win, Chia Ltd will receive a prize package worth nearly $60,000, including $30,000 of growth funding and access to top business training and advice.
Chloe Van Dyke, Chia co-owner, says the past 12 months have been a whirlwind and this latest win will provide the business with a big boost.
“Winning this competition is absolutely amazing – it’s going to help us enormously from improving production efficiency to helping build up our reputation throughout New Zealand.
“It really is an exciting time for us here in Nelson,” says Chloe who, along with her father Ben Van Dyke, saw a gap in the market for a nutritionally rich drink.
The father-daughter duo says it is down to a growing awareness of healthy options that Chia was able to get off the ground.
“The response to Chia has been phenomenal. It is such a unique drink it could have gone either way really and we’re just so thrilled,” says Ben.
“A big thank you has to go out to all of our supporters who decided to give us a go and have stuck with us, without them we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
Chia Ltd now produces three naturally flavoured bottled drinks containing the chia seed, a natural ‘superfood’ that is a rich source of vegetable Omega 3, complete protein, minerals, electrolytes, fibre and antioxidants.
While the drinks were originally intended for athletes to boost endurance and to aid recovery after exercise, they are just as popular with office workers looking for a 3pm pick-me-up due to naturally-occurring electrolytes which provide sustained hydration, along with a steady release of energy from slow-release carbohydrates.
CHIA is 100% natural, gluten free, GE free and vegan friendly. To find out more head to www.chia.co.nz