About 230 people attended the inaugural Focus on Business held at Functions on Hastings at the end of last month, the first of a quarterly series aimed at supporting local businesses to network and succeed.

The guest speaker was Kraft Heinz Company-Australia & NZ non-executive chairman Mike Pretty, who spoke about innovation, rising to challenges, and the future of food.

The event also provided the opportunity to launch a new national marketing campaign created by Hastings District Council’s economic development team “Hastings. Like a Big City, But Better”. The campaign is about attracting talent, business and investment to Hastings and provides assets for businesses to use with digital advertising.

Hastings District Council economic development manager Lee Neville said the idea came out of talking to local businesses and hearing they were short-staffed.

“We decided to do a campaign that could be used to attract business, investment and talent to Hastings district.

“While there are businesses already doing this themselves, through this campaign we have provided free collateral they can use to support their own initiatives and contribute to a thriving district.”

The campaign consists of a website www.hastingsnz.com, which features videos people can request, for free, and printed materials that detail the benefits of doing business in Hastings – from a fantastic lifestyle providing work/life balance to economic opportunities and potential.

Mr Neville said the material had already been accessed and used by the likes of a company wanting to support their recruitment campaign, to a business with an office in China that used a video to aid its storytelling about its provenance.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said business was the lifeblood of Hawke’s Bay – and especially of the Hastings district.

“Because business is central to the Bay, it’s central to us in local government. Councils have a role in supporting business, and in Hastings our economic development team has been set up to help ensure that it’s easy to do business here.

“What’s good for business, is good for the economy, and good for all of us.”

She thanked all the local businesses who had given their time to participate in the videos.

Mr Neville said the team would follow up the launch by going out and talking to local businesses to raise awareness of the campaign.

Details on the next Focus on Business event will be released closer to the time, expected to be mid-June.

© Scoop Media