The founder of Malocchio Group, which won Best Hard Seltzer at the 2023 World Premix Awards, has been announced as a finalist in the 2023 Women’s Small Business Champion Awards.

Malocchio is small, independently owned and operated company based in Brunswick, Melbourne. Partners Antonio Marra and Anna Chiera came up with the idea for the company during the lockdowns of 2020.

With a growing reputation as the Logies of small business, the second annual Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards National Presentation will be held on 23 September 2023 at the newly-built Western Sydney Conference Centre at Penrith in NSW.

Malocchio took out World’s Best and Gold for its Kakadu Plum flavour at the World Premix Awards and Silver for its Finger Lime flavour in the Hard Seltzer category.

The accolade comes at a fantastic time for Malcocchio, which has just been ranged in selected local BWS and Dan Murphy’s stores, adding to its already extensive list of independent bars and bottle stores around Melbourne. 

“It is such an honour to be a part of the 2023 Women’s Small Business Champion Awards and to be recognised for the hard work that is involved in starting and running a small business,” Anna (above) said.

“We launched our first hard seltzer flavours December 2020 so it’s been a very challenging time over the last few years but we have seen some amazing growth and earlier this year received some fantastic international awards for two of our flavours.

“For me, persistence is key and I congratulate all the finalists in the 2023 Australian Women’s Small Business
Champion Awards and anyone out there giving it a go.”

The only national awards programme of its kind created specifically to shine a spotlight on the rising economic and social contributions of women in small business – spanning all capital cities as well as rural, regional and suburban towns – the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards is arguably among the most diverse in terms of the breadth of represented industries and sectors.

From manufacturing (Malocchio’s category) to disability support, butchers and bakers, environmental and Indigenous businesses, marketing services and more, the 2023 program features more than 60 industry categories and four individual award categories – Young Small Business Champion Woman Entrepreneur (aged 30 and younger), Small Business Champion Woman Entrepreneur (aged over 30), Australian Small Business Champion Influential Woman and Australian Small Business Champion Icon.

“The success of female-led small businesses in this country is absolutely on the rise, especially during the past decade and even during the current challenging economic climate,” said Steve Loe, Awards Founder and Managing Director of Precedent Productions, which coordinates the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards.

“We simply could not look past the spiking number of female small business trailblazers – such as Anna Chiera – and so deemed it only appropriate to have a standalone awards programme that showcases and honours their achievements.

“The quantity and quality of entrants in the 2023 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards is truly remarkable and so the ultimate selection of this year’s finalists has by no means been an easy feat.

“When the Champion Judges evaluate entries, they consider all aspects of a business: its strategies, innovative initiatives, customer service, vision, growth, charitable and community support – to name but some of the judging criteria.

“To put it plainly, my team and I are just chuffed to be in a position to honour these women and hopefully inspire the next generation of Australia’s female small business champions.”

For more information, visit: womensbusinesschampions.com.au.