Tara Murray
Thomastown’s Floridia Cheese has taken out the top award at the 2020 Northern Business Achievement Awards.
Businesses from across seven municipalities were recognised at the awards, which are run by NORTH Link and their partners.
Floridia Cheese, which has been in the north for 65 years, claimed the Business of the Year award along with the Export Award and student placement of the year award.
Floridia Cheese general manager Rosabala Portella said the Business of the Year Award came as a complete surprise.
“We’ve never really won a business award,” she said. “We normally enter our cheeses in awards.
“We’ve got quite a large export market, so we thought we might be in the running for the export award.
“It’s overwhelming and we’re stoked about the award. “
Ms Portella said the year had been difficult for the business, with its wholesaler distribution section struggled as result of bigger venues it supplies having to shut as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.
The retail part of the business picked up and they made more products for retail sale, she said.
The business managed to keep all staff work during the two lockdown periods.
It has been a big year for the company, with two major upgrades happening during lockdown.
Ms Portella said the future was looking bright for the company.
“We’re looking to expand the site,” she said.
“We’ve outgrown the side and everything we make we are selling. If we make more, we will sell that too.”
NORTH Link executive director Chris James said: “COVID-19 has made this year very difficult for everyone, particularly our local businesses.
“These awards gave us the opportunity to recognise the persistence and resilience businesses have shown this year, which makes us very proud of our community.”
Other winners include Sage Business Group in Sunbury and Repurpose It in Epping.
