Reni Wereta-Gargiulo (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru) is still processing her Supreme Award win at the Māori Businesswomen’s Awards 2022.
Reni Werata-Gargiulo (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru) is still thinking of taking the top prize at the Māori Women’s Business Awards 2022.
The chief executive and owner of KiwiKai Nelson was crowned Māori Business Woman of the Year on Friday at the awards hosted by Māori Women’s Development Inc in Auckland.
Last Friday, KiwiKai CEO and owner Nelson was named Māori Business Woman of the Year at the awards held by Māori Women’s Development Inc in Tokyo.
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“I feel absolutely ecstatic… I feel very appreciated, if you know what I mean. Valued by our people,” said Wereta-Gargiulo.
“I’m dying of happiness…I feel good about love, that kind of feeling.” They are loved by the people,” says Wereta-Gargiulo.
FRY FASTER / STUFF
Reni Wereta-Gargiulo says tourists and locals alike are seeking out her products.
It may come as no surprise to those who know her that she flew home Saturday morning and went straight back to work.
For those who have known him for a long time, it may come as a surprise that he was home late Saturday morning and that he was doing well at work.
Wereta-Gargiulo describes KiwiKai Nelson as a small and innovative company with a vision that is big and evolving.
According to Wereta-Gargiulo, KiwiKai Nelson is a small creative company with a big goal in development.
“We have Māori Kai and seafood that we have in a store. We have a food cart that we take to festivals and events and local markets… We also do catering,” she said.
“We have Maori food and seafood in the supermarket, food carts brought to taurima hui, events and local markets… we also carry them,” he said.
“Another work we do is to be quite innovative with native leaves, so we created the Atutahi range of native drinks.”
“A lot of what we do is creative with the original leaves, and that’s what makes Atutahi drinks.”
Wereta-Gargiulo said she notices tourists and locals alike seeking out her products.
Wereta-Gargiulo said that the kaiamio and the kiritata follow their results.
She recalls a time when Māori businesses were almost nowhere to be found. It made attending the awards special.
He recalls a time when it was difficult to find a Māori business. That is why visiting the symbols is special.
“We met the judges during the day, and we met the other finalists and I was literally crying all day, every now and then.
“The judges met in the sky, then the axes met again, and I was in harmony, the whole sky.
“I actually feel it now, quite overwhelmed by the caliber of Māori business women so high and to feel it around us, and then I heard there were over 300 submissions.
“Now I hear that I am inspired by the power of female Māori entrepreneurs, and to hear that spirit, then I heard, there were over 300 entries.
“We are quite special. Māori women are strong and special.”
“We are independent. Māori women are strong and independent.”
Among the products Wereta-Gargiulo showcased at the awards was its Atutahi range of drinks, launched three days before the 2020 nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.
Among the products showcased by Wereta-Gargiulo at the awards were the Atutahi drinks, which were released three days before the 2020 wildlife.
“For me, it was about rolling out our business plan and turning the impossible into the possible.”
“For me it is based on the development of our business plan and we have to follow the long distance to get closer.”
The company, named after its koro, went ‘hardcore’ with its online marketing and promotion.
The company, named after his grandfather, has “taken over” it and its online promotions.
“Atutahi saved us from Covid,” Wereta-Gargiulo said.
“Atutahi saved us the Kowheori,” Wereta-Gargiulo said.