A Whanganui couple have won a national award for their farming business.
Richard and Suze Redmayne started their business Coastal Lamb Ltd 12 years ago at Turakina, and it has now won the Silver Fern Farms Market Leader Award at the inaugural Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards.
Richard said winning the award was good validation for the company.
"It's very exciting to be recognised by the industry and [to] have something to celebrate with the other farmers who produce lambs with us."
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The Market Leader Award is for an individual or farming business which understands what buyers want to drive greater value.
The judges described Coastal Lamb Ltd as a true and innovative example of market leadership.
"Having forged a new path to market, Coastal Lamb Ltd had demonstrated a clear understanding of the market and in-depth communication with its customers," the judges' said.
The award was one of eight given at the event in Napier.
Coastal Lamb Ltd involves 17 family-owned supply farms across the east and west coasts of the North Island, producing lamb for domestic retailers and restaurants.
Richard Redmayne said they also supplied lamb to 13 countries, including the Netherlands, the United States, and several in Asia.
In Whanganui, Coastal Lamb supplies New World and Pak'nSave Whanganui, as well as restaurants such as High-Kut Bistro, Maria Lane, Rutland, Mint Cafe, and Caroline's Boatshed.
He said the company's strapline was that its products were naturally seasoned by the sea.
"All of our farms are in close proximity to the sea, which means our pastures are lightly dusted with salt."
He said this gave the lamb a clean taste.
"Which is something of high value to customers, particularly in Asia."
Chef's Choice owner Dean Fitness said Coastal Lamb had a good reputation and a strong brand internationally.
"So it's great local restaurants can buy something farmed locally and of such high quality," Fitness said.
The Whanganui East butcher and wholesaler had worked with Coastal Lamb for over six years supplying their meat to local restaurants. In July, the Redmaynes also won the Horizons Ballance Farm Environment regional supreme award for their Turakina farm, Tunnel Hill.
Tunnel Hill is a 1005-hectare coastal property with soils ranging from river silt to wetlands and sand dunes, with beef, sheep, maize and forestry farmed across 950ha of the land.
The farm has fish pathways implemented to improve fish migration, wetland areas, maize grain, and cattle wintering.
Redmayne said that, due to its regional win, the farm would hold a public field day on November 2, which is set to include a farm tour, tea and coffee, and lamb tasting.
He said they were expecting around 150 people.
Following the public field day, the farm would receive visits from the national judges and hold a half-hour interview to determine the nationwide winner, to be announced on November 24.
