Young entrepreneur Florence Van Dyke of Chia Limited has been selected by the Asia New Zealand Foundation to travel to Indonesia next month. She is one of five New Zealand food and beverage business leaders taking part in the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative run by the Foundation.
CHIA was created in 2012 and since then has been making headlines across New Zealand for its innovation and nutritional qualities. CHIA is a drink that combines hydrated chia seeds – an ancient Aztec superfood – and antioxidant-rich blueberry, blackcurrant and orange & passionfruit juices.
As word has spread about the nutritional qualities of CHIA, the company’s sales have soared. So much so that Florence, previously a corporate solicitor practicing in Auckland, recently came on board to manage international negotiations.
The opportunity to travel to Indonesia is timely for the Nelson-based company. CHIA is currently exported to Singapore, Malaysia and Australia and shipments are on track to increase in the coming year. “There is a growing awareness of the importance of health worldwide and a demand for natural New Zealand products; the high nutritional benefits of CHIA put it in a prime position to take advantage of this trend,” says Florence.
The ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative is part of the New Zealand Government’s overarching ASEAN strategy to strengthen ties between entrepreneurs and business leaders in Southeast Asia and New Zealand. It will provide the young business leaders with the opportunity to learn about the Indonesian F&B business environment and connect with Indonesian entrepreneurs and government officials from New Zealand and Indonesia.
Florence is looking forward to gaining a deeper understanding of the rich diversity of Indonesian culture. She is particularly excited to be part of an initiative that will strengthen business relationships between New Zealand and Indonesia and result in a positive flow-on effect for other domestic businesses looking to export into the growing Asian market.
