Pact Group and Brownes Dairy are among Australia and New Zealand’s Most innovative Companies. Both companies were the joint winner in the AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies “Best Pandemic Pivot” category.
Pact was recognised in the category for quickly pivoting its operations at pace and scale to produce hand sanitiser. Prior to Covid-19, the company had been importing approximately 10,000 units of hand sanitiser per month. Within weeks, Pact had pivoted operations to have the capacity to manufacture more than one million litres per week.
Brownes Dairy was recognised for its “Milko” service, through which customers can order dairy products online for delivery within 24 hours. According to the Most Innovative Companies list, the company has delivered 12,000 orders within three months and the business is on track to generate $1m in revenue within 12 months.
The AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list (previously the BRW Most Innovative Companies list) is now in its ninth year. The list ranks the most innovative organisations in Australia and New Zealand, by industry.
The list is judged and compiled by Inventium – an Australian innovation consultancy. In 2020, the list included 10 industry lists, compiled from more than 600 nominations.
Pact also ranked number two on the “Manufacturing & Consumer Goods” list. It is the eighth consecutive year the company was honoured as a “Most Innovative Company”.
The assessment measures a top innovation implemented in the past two years. Specifically, the judges look at how valuable the problem is that the innovation is solving, the quality and uniqueness of the solution, and the level of impact that the innovation has had.
Inventium also assesses internal elements such as innovation culture, strategy, resources and process, which demonstrate a sustainable and repeatable approach to innovation.
Pact Group Managing Director and CEO Sanjay Dayal said he was elated that Pact had been named one of Australia’s Most Innovative Companies for the eighth consecutive year.
“Many consumers are showing a heightened awareness, preference and trust for locally manufactured products which support local jobs and the economy,” Dayal said.
“Pact’s innovative pandemic pivot helps restore the nations confidence that when international supply chains are severely disrupted, a local Australian manufacturer can step up and quickly transform its business model and operations to produce a critically required hygiene product in order to protect the country’s frontline workers and fill nationwide shortages.”
