Applications open for 2027 Zanda McDonald Award
Applications are set to open for the 2027 Zanda McDonald Award, a trans-Tasman award recognised for identifying and fast-tracking talented young leaders in agriculture and agribusiness.
That is what Hamilton founders Vineet and Vibhah Shiriwastow found out recently on the world stage.
The couple, founders of Four Leaves Co Ltd, are the brains behind NZ SmartMilk, a functional drink that blends premium New Zealand milk and MGO 120+ manuka honey with collagen, protein, prebiotic fibre, selected botanical extracts, zinc and vitamin D3.
At the World Dairy Innovation Awards, held in June as part of the Global Dairy Congress in Barcelona, NZ SmartMilk won World's Best Dairy Drink.
For the couple, the award vindication of their years-long journey to take a family tradition to the global market.
Born in Fiji, the couple and their four children now call Hamilton home. Vibhah recalls that the inspiration is deeply personal. For four generations, a milk-based wellness drink prepared by mothers and grandmothers has been a staple for their families.
"Long before NZ SmartMilk existed, the ritual already did. It began at home, made with care, warmth, and intention.
"Over time, the ritual became part of everyday life, something comforting, nourishing and deeply familiar," she says.
When it came to feeding their children, the Shiriwastows grappled with finding a wellness drink that was not "overly processed or overly engineered".
This began their quest to develop a wellness drink that included tradition, functional performance, and New Zealand provenance, without comprising the nutrient value.
"The real innovation is making functional nutrition work in a product that still looks, pours and tastes like milk, without relying on gums, stabilisers or preservatives," Vineet told Dairy News.
Milk is sourced from a South Auckland company which has its own farms and processes milk. The MGO 120+ manuka honey comes from a local farmer.
Vineet, who gave a passionate speech while receiving the award, says it has put NZ SmartMilk on the world stage and they are ready to take the product around the world.
First stop for the couple is India. The New Zealand-India free trade agreement comes into force on 20 October.
Four Leaves is now working towards establishing manufacturing and commercial operations in India with local partners. The model is not simply to export a New Zealand drink into India, but to combine New Zealand innovation and key New Zealand ingredients with Indian dairy capability, manufacturing and scale.
The New Zealand Government is also throwing its support behind the couple. In a letter to the Shiriwastows, Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay congratulated them on the win in Barcelona. He says the award reflected the commitment that has gone into the establishment of Four Leaves Co.
"It's always encouraging to see New Zealand's reputation for world-class dairy production and innovation recognised on the global stage.
"Your plans to explore investment, manufacturing and brand development opportunities in India reflect the ambition of New Zealand entrepreneurs building commercial links with India."
In a note to the couple, FoodBev chair Richard Hall thanked them for making the journey to Barcelona.
"You took everyone by storm at our Congress. Winning a key award. Challenging traditional mindsets and tastebuds. And having a laugh at the same time.
"Thank you again so much for making the effort and for making the journey."
For the Shiriwastows, years of hard work are paying dividends.
Vibhah adds that they had never set out to create another wellness trend.
"We wanted to preserve something meaningful and refine it for modern life. What began as a personal ritual slowly evolved into a larger vision: to create a cleaner, more thoughtful approach to functional nutrition.
"And I'm glad the world has endorsed out product."
NZ Provenancee
New Zealand became part of the NZ SmartMilk story naturally.
The environment, the ingredients, the quality standards and the slower way of thinking all aligned with the philosophy we already believed in, says Vineet Shiriwastow.
NZ SmartMilk is sold at 13 FreshChoice stores across Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Christchurch. It is also available online at lullaa.nz.
