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Media Release: March 8, 2005
SEEDS OF SUCCESS BEAT DROUGHT AND SPROUT CHAMPAGNE AWARD
Wendy Erhart (left), 2005 Veuve Clicquot Award Winner, with Cécile Bonnefond, President, Veuve ClicquotInternational Women’s Day 2005 has seen Queensland’s Wendy Erhart win the coveted Veuve Clicquot Award which honours the world’s most successful business women.
While most Australians have not heard her name, this speedway racing mother and former nurse touches millions of lives daily, as the producer of the seeds that sprout as vegetables and fruit on the majority of Australia’s dining tables.
Erhart, who was nominated for the Australian sector of the Veuve Clicquot Award by Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane, was honoured for her tenacious, innovative and sustainable approach in growing – literally – one of the nation’s most successful businesses.
Withcott Seedlings, which Wendy co-founded 25 years ago, is the largest supplier of vegetable, fruit and plant seedlings in the southern hemisphere, producing 310 million seedlings each year for Australian farmers. The core company has grown at 25%-30% annually for more than two decades and an innovative new venture – Smart Salads – grew by a staggering 503% last financial year. These baby leaf salads for the elite food market are a first for Australia and the Erhart Group’s unique way of growing them has been patented. This product is distributed domestically and is an emerging export to the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions.
The global Veuve Clicquot Award, which is presented in 17 countries, commemorates La Veuve (the widow) Clicquot, who inherited her husband’s business in 1805 at the age of 27. In war-torn Europe Madame Clicquot defied tradition – and also the trade blockades against France during the Napoleonic Wars. She took the helm of the business; shipped her champagne to the world’s royal courts; invented the clarifying process of ‘riddling’, now used by all Champagne producers; developed and patented the distinctive yellow label of Clicquot; and built the business to the world-famous champagne house it remains today.
Cécile Bonnefond, the Reims-based global President and CEO of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, and the first woman to head the company since ‘La Veuve’, travelled to Australia announce the winner and present the award at today’s Veuve Clicquot Award Lunch. The lunch, at the University of Sydney’s Great Hall, was held to coincide with International Women’s Day celebrations and attended by 100 of Australia’s leading business women. Complementing the gathering of great female achievers was a menu designed by internationally acclaimed Australian chef Christine Manfield.
“Madame Clicquot was a woman of vision, an entrepreneur, daring and innovative, determined in changing the rules of the game, in short a real leader,” said Cécile Bonnefond. “As we expected, Australia has a great many women who exemplify these qualities – often quiet achievers – and it has been a great privilege to present the Veuve Clicquot Award to Wendy.”
While Madame Clicquot faced the challenge of growing a business in the climate of the Napoleonic wars, Erhart has fought her own war – with nature.
“Madame Clicquot was operating under a war situation, but she created opportunities and took huge risks to succeed,” said Erhart. “I guess there are similarities in that we’ve been able to grow a horticultural business in a sustainable way during a war of nature – the worst drought in living memory .”
Erhart added that she was ‘shocked and humbled’ by the honour. “It’s one of the few times in my life that I’ve been speechless,” she said. “I was stunned when I found out I’d won given the calibre of the women who’ve gone before me. What I’ve learned from this experience is that there are so many amazing women in Australia with so much to offer. I hope this win may inspire others and allow people to realise that anyone can have a go. I don’t have a lot of skills, but I’ve made the most of what I’ve got.”
Erhart’s innovative and computer-savvy approach to ‘beating the drought’ and operating a water-intensive business while also being mindful of sustainability, health and environmental issues impressed the judging panel, which included Chairman of Heytesbury Janet Holmes à Court, Federal Court judge The Hon. Justice Annabelle Bennett; Executive Director of Paspaley Pearls, Marilynne Paspaley; Myer Managing Director Dawn Robertson; PBL Director of Corporate Relations and Events Deeta Colvin; Editor and Publisher of the Financial Times Asia, John Ridding; and on behalf of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Robert Remnant.
“It was extremely difficult to judge the award because of the calibre of all the nominees,” said Janet Holmes à Court. “Wendy was the woman we felt best exemplified the qualities of Madame Clicquot. She has overcome tremendous challenges and is very innovative in her approach to a business which could be considered under threat due to the drought and our concerns about water shortage. We were also impressed by her commitment to her staff and the community.”
Erhart’s journey is a remarkable one. A young girl from a rural property in Southern Queensland, she grew up to become a registered general and psychiatric nurse, but her vision, commitment, dedication and passion soon swept her beyond the wards to a vastly different career. She began tending to a small nursery with her husband, but like the plants she nurtured, her business flourished. The Erhart Group is renowned for its workplace management and staff practices and has set benchmarks in environmental management. It is also a leader in inventory, logistics and business software systems which Wendy designed herself.
Erhart has earned widespread respect throughout government, industry and the community. She has not only achieved success in business, but also balance in life. One of Australia’s first girl scouts, she has never lost her sense of adventure and while seeds are her business, speed is her hobby. Erhart is a keen speedway racer and her numerous accolades include an award from Queensland Premier Peter Beattie for her contribution to motor sport. In the same way Wendy is committed to growing seeds that are ‘safe’ and free of contamination, safety on the race track is paramount. What fuels her life mainly though is family – husband Graham and their teenage children Jessica and Laurie.
As well as the honour of winning the prestigious Veuve Clicquot Award, Erhart’s prize package includes return business class tickets to France to attend the Annual Veuve Clicquot Businesswomen’s meeting in June, along with past and present winners from the other participating countries. The prize for the nominator of the successful candidate is 12 magnums of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut, which Ian MacFarlane has declined to accept, requesting organizers to forward the prize to Erhart to celebrate with her staff.
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