Further award nod for Franceschi

Western Australian avocado farmer Jennifer Franceschi has won a category in the national Telstra Businesswoman of the year awards, although News South Wales-based refugee advocate Violet Roumeliotis took out the top prize.

Ms Franceschi, who won Western Australian Businesswoman of the Year in October after more than four decades in the industry, won the corporate and private business category award at an event in Melbourne last night.

She co-founded the Fresh Produce Alliance, which operates a processing facility in Manjimup and retails brands such as Born Pure baby food.

That was intended to provide more opportunities for growers who are facing a big increase in supply of the fruit coming onto the market in the next decade.

Telstra Business Women’s group executive (media) Joe Pollard, said Ms Franceschi was a pioneer of the avocado industry in the west.

"Not only is she a visionary, but she is also strongly driven by her integrity,” she said.

“With a strong understanding of the generational challenges of farming in Australia, Ms Franceschi’s goal is to turn agricultural wastage into growth.”

National winner Ms Roumeliotis is chief executive of Settlement Services International, a role she has held since 2012.

It is a not-for-profit, which raises awareness of the economic value of migration.

One of Ms Roumeliotis’s most successful concepts is The Staples Bag, a retail store and pop-up shop providing affordable groceries to approximately 750 families every week.

National Winners:

· Business Woman of the Year and For Purpose and Social Enterprise Award:

Violet Roumeliotis, chief executive, Settlement Services International Limited (NSW)

· Entrepreneur Award:

Hana-Lia Krawchuck, founder, Love to Dream (NSW)

· Public Sector and Academia Award:

Professor Leah Bromfield, co-director of The Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia (SA)

· Corporate and Private Award:

Jennifer Franceschi, managing director, Fresh Produce Alliance (WA)

· Young Business Women’s Award:

Elise Apolloni, managing partner, Capital Chemist Wanniassa (ACT)

· Business Woman in Asia Award:

Saskia Groen-in’t-Woud, chief operating officer, Damco (Singapore)