Sustainability startup Hero Packaging took home the elusive ORIAS best B2B retailer at a formal gala last night for its work as a waste-reducing startup supplying plastic-free, home compostable shopping mailers and packaging to other small businesses around the world.
The Australia Post Online Retailer Industry Awards (ORIAS) take place annually, with the various category winners for 2022 announced at an evening gala dinner held at the ICC in Sydney, following Online Retailer’s two-day conference and exhibition.
The sold-out event was attended by many leaders in the retail space, including The Iconic CEO Erica Berchtold and Showpo founder Jane Lu, and was hosted by Australian actor and television presented Robert Mills.
Hero Packaging took home the Best B2B Online Retailer award as well as a nomination for Best Small Independent Retailer, with co-founders Anaita Sarkar and Vikram Davé at the event with the wider team to accept the accolade.
Speaking with SmartCompany after accepting the award, Sarkar said the team were “absolutely not expecting it”.
“We are so excited and honoured to win Best B2B Online Retailer,” the founder explained, days after launching their most recent product, AquaHero, a completely dissolvable packaging solution.
The Australia Post ORIAS Awards are now in their 12th year, recognising leaders in the e-commerce space.
The full list of the 2022 Australia Post ORIAS Award winners are:
Winner: Hero Packaging
Finalists: Cargo Crew, Hampers with Bite, Signet, Urban Rituelle, WHOLA
Winner: i=Change
Finalists: Adorn Cosmetics, Go For Zero, Good360 Australia, Prized Life, Showpo
Winner: Winning Appliances
Finalists: Amart Furniture, Barbeques Galore, Cotton On, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, Tigerlily
Winner: Cue Clothing Co
Finalists: Bailey Nelson, Inspiring Vacations, Mobile Tyre Shop, Naked Wines Australia, Supercheap Auto
Winner: Appliances Online
Finalists: Babyboo Fashion, Booktopia, Designerex, Lovehoney, Showpo
Winner: UNE PIECE
Finalists: Adventure Snacks, Amino Z, Botanicals by Luxe, Hero Packaging, Kavalri Jewellery
Winner: Showpo
Finalists: Hello Molly, MESHKI, Miss Amara, Spend With Us – Buy From A Bush Business, St Frock
Winner: Appliances Online
Finalists: birdsnest, Miss Amara, Oz Hair & Beauty, Salvos Stores, Showpo
Winner: Quad Lock
Finalists: Cotton On, Lyre’s Spirit Co, MESHKI, Penfolds Wines, Showpo
Winner: Cotton On
Finalists: Amart Furniture, Carma, Hello Molly, Optus, Showpo
Winner: Salvos Stores
Finalists: Appliances Online, Lovehoney, Lyre’s Spirit Co, Naked Wines Australia, Showpo
Winner: Paul Waddy
Finalists: Brendan Sweeney, Hannon Comazzetto, Jane Lu, Kirsten Kore, Travis Wright
Winner: Appliances Online
Inductee: Lovehoney
Winner: Ruby’s Home Store
Finalists: Just Creations, Lone Star, Slim Mama Co., Tara’s Candy Bar, The Type 1 Foundation,
Winner: 4 Ingredients
Finalists: 4 Ingredients, Australian Made Clothes, Australian Working Dog Rescue, Jess Keeli Creative, Swin by Elly, Woohoo Body
Winner: Kogan.com
Finalists: Babybee, Beserk, Bulk Nutrients, Koh, THE ICONIC
As the Australia Post 2021 ORIAS were held virtually last year, Thursday night’s celebration also commended winners from 2o21, including Lyre’s, Flora & Fauna, Tinyme, Naked Wines Australia and more.
Sophie Venz is a freelance writer and editor working remotely from wherever she can get an internet connection. You can find her bylines in Forbes, SmartCompany, Mamamia, Punkee and many more.
