The Mornington Peninsula Business Excellence Awards recognise innovation, sustainability and excellence across all industry sectors.
With the 2023 program now open, we are taking the time to celebrate the winners from last year.
The Mornington Peninsula Business Excellence Awards recognise innovation, sustainability and excellence across businesses of all types. They are a chance to showcase the outstanding work of local businesses.
Here, celebrate the winner of the Agriculture and Manufacturing Award, Australia’s first dedicated gluten free brewery and taproom, Two Bays Brewing Co.
In 2015, CEO and Founder Richard Jeffares was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. As a craft beer lover, the experience he missed most was having a beer at the pub. Like any great entrepreneur, he saw the gap in the market as an opportunity and the idea of Two Bays Brewing Co. was conceived. The brewery opened in December 2018 and focuses on bringing the experiential world of craft beer to people who are gluten intolerant, or choose to be gluten free, across the nation.
The team did not stop at just beer, instead constructing a dedicated venue where consumers can sample multiple gluten free beer styles from 11 ever-changing taps – along with gluten free (and vegan option) wood-fired pizzas, safe in the knowledge that no gluten is present.
The Business Excellence Awards judges selected Two Bays Brewing Co. for their outstanding innovation in developing and marketing a gluten free beer and selling it to 2,000 outlets. Judges commended their business planning, product acumen and knowledge of the market with a focus on continuous improvement through the trialling of new brewing methods and beers.
Outside of gluten free beer, Australia’s craft beer industry has grown enormously over the last decade, and there are more than 650 brands now offered to consumers. By focusing on the growing gluten free customer base, Two Bays have established a huge point of difference from all these other breweries.
– CEO and Founder Richard Jeffares
The whole ethos at TWØBAYS is to offer our customers the same choice and experience that every other ‘non-gluten free’ customer can have in the beer world. Over the last four years we have released more than 20 beer varieties in cans, and we have brewed more than 50 beers for our Taproom customers. No other gluten free brewery has come close to offering a customer that much choice before
The process for entering awards allows me to reflect on what our business has achieved over the last 12 months or so – but also our journey since we started 4 years ago. It’s a great way to realise all the great things that have happened since we opened – and makes all the hard work worthwhile! But then to be told you are the winner; that is an amazing feeling!
There are some fantastic agricultural businesses and manufacturers on the Peninsula, and these awards help you realise that your business is up with them across many facets of running a business – so it helps you know that you are definitely on the right track!
Two Bays Brewing Co.
2022 Finalists – Agriculture and Manufacturing Award
A huge congratulation also goes out to impressive finalists for this category, including Hawkes Farm, a traditional vegetable farm and farmgate growing potatoes, carrots, strawberries and corn.
Mock Red Hill is a fifth-generation business that grows bio-dynamic apples to cultivate cider, freeze dried apples and vegetables for customers to enjoy from their farm gate and cider lounge.
Peninsula Fresh Seafood is a business that started their journey harvesting and selling mussels at Safety Beach, now expanding into seafood processing and wholesaling.
Article first published January 2023
