Mollydooker Wines among SA Telstra Business Awards finalists
After 13 vintages, Mollydooker Wines is ready to be recognised and has welcomed its inclusion among SA’s Telstra Business Awards finalists.
MCLaren Vale boutique winemaker Mollydooker Wines is among 24 local businesses to take a step closer to the 2019 Telstra Business Awards.
Mollydooker’s sole owner and winemaker, Sarah Marquis, said the business had seen 13 vintages and was now ready to be recognised.
“This is the first year Mollydooker has applied to be a part of the Telstra awards, we decided to enter because I think we are now in a position where we can stake claim to being a strong drawcard for SA.
“We are a steady operation making 70,000 to 100,000 cases annually of premium fruit-rich wine, 80 per cent of which is exported, mostly to the US,’’ she said.
“Our US business has been very profitable so we have not needed to be in China.”
However, Ms Marquis said it was now her intention to diversity business profits into the Asian region.
Events are held regularly at the cellar door with winery tours also on offer.
The business is also using innovative techniques and data and analytics across the grape growing and winemaking process.
The business, which has qualified under the Medium and Making Waves category of the awards, has developed a Mollydooker Shake, inverting and shaking the wine bottle to restore its full-flavoured taste.
The winery is one of three local winemakers in the running for the state awards this year.
Also based in McLaren Vale, Joe Cook and Tom O’Donnell’s business Riot Wine Co, which produces wine in stainless-steel kegs and for sale in cans, is also a finalist in the Small & Succeeding category. Wines by Geoff Hardy is a finalist in the same category as Mollydooker. Bringing diversity into the list is Makers Empire, in the Social Change Maker category, for its role in teaching young students and educators about design thinking and 3D printing.
The finalists have been judged across a broad range of criteria, including strategy and vision, customers and marketing, operations, people and culture, innovation and tech-nology, social responsibility, and financial acumen.
Nationally, the Telstra awards program, which is now in its 27th year, has attracted a record 21,000 nominations.
Tthe judges had been impressed by the calibre of the 2019 finalists, Michael Ackland, Telstra group executive, consumer & small business, said.
“The record number of nominations we’ve received for the program this year alone shows how dynamic the small and medium business industry is in Australia – and how supported they are by their community,” he said.
“Getting to this stage of the program is an achievement in itself, whether they win or not.
“ In particular, we found that three-quarters of last year’s state finalists saw a spike in activity or business awareness just from taking part in the program.”
The winners of the 2019 Telstra South Australian Business Awards will be announced on Thursday, September 12, at the Adelaide Oval.
State and territory winners will be invited to Melbourne for the national series, including networking events, masterclass, national judging and a national dinner celebration on November 21.
FULL LIST OF FINALISTS
Emerging & Energised
Peripheral Blue
Refuel Creative
Roaming Zen
Society Marketing Communications
Sullivan Consulting
The Duke of Brunswick Hotel
Small & Succeeding
Cindy’s Classic Gourmet
Foil Me
Oranje Creative
Physio Fit Adelaide
Riot Wine Co
Sea Dragon Lodge
Medium & Making Waves
Bowhill Engineering
FCT Holdings
Green Frog Systems
Mollydooker Wines
Premier Health Care
Wines by Geoff Hardy
Social Change Maker
Determined2
Foodbank SA
Good Prospects Speech Pathology
Makers Empire
Media Centre for Education Research
Rejuven8 Consulting and Training