The region’s best businesses named

NORCO, a business that began in Byron Bay almost 130 years ago, is the 2024 Northern Rivers Business of the Year.

It is one of seven businesses operating in the Byron Shire to be recognised at the Northern Rivers 2024 Regional Business Awards ceremony, held at the Ballina RSL Club on Saturday.

The dairy company is 100 per cent Australian farmer-owned and was celebrated for its commitment to business excellence, dedication to continuous improvement, and approach to sustainable business practices.

Norco won two category awards earlier in the night: Excellence in Sustainability, and Outstanding Business Leader (21 employees and over) for CEO Michael Hampson.

While the dairy co-operative took out the top award, several Byron-based businesses also won accolades.

Byron Chamber of Commerce was the Outstanding Local Chamber of the Year, highlighting its dedication to supporting local businesses and strengthening community ties.

“We’re incredibly proud to be recognised and look forward to representing Byron Bay at the NSW Business Awards,” Chamber president Matt Williamson said.

“It’s a testament to our commitment to making Byron Bay’s business community stronger and more resilient”.

Business NSW regional director for Northern Rivers Jane Laverty said the awards celebrated and showcased the diverse talent within the Northern Rivers business community.

“It was a wonderful night of celebration. You could feel the connection between everyone and the sense of comradery amongst a group of truly dedicated regional business leaders.

“Norco Cooperative was a well-deserving winner of individual categories and recognised as a business that is dedicated to achieving results for their farming partners and has achieved outstanding results for business performance and demonstrating all-round excellence in business.”

Other Byron Shire winners and highly commended recipients Off the Rails won the award for Excellence in Micro Business.

Receiving highly commended awards were: Suzie Slingsby from Zepto in the Outstanding Employee category; Autism Camp Australia in the Tweed Byron Hinterland in the categories Outstanding Community Organisation and Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion; Crystalbrook Byron received for Employer of Choice (21 employees or over0; and Better by Bike for Outstanding New Business.

For the full list of winners, head to businessnsw.com/events/business-awards/northern-rivers

Winners of state-aligned categories will now represent the region at the State Business Awards to be held in Sydney on October 30.

“I am very much looking forward to seeing Team Northern Rivers, our regional winners, represent our broader business community on the State stage,” Mrs Laverty said.

“It’s been a tough few years for many businesses, so these awards are a wonderful opportunity to shine a spotlight on the ingenuity, strength and resilience of all the finalists who also represented over 30,000 businesses now in the Northern Rivers.”