A natural acne-busting product squeezed from the creative minds of three Bayfield High School year 13 pupils has become so popular that the Dunedin trio have been invited to compete for a place to represent New Zealand at the World Expo in Dubai.
Abalro Health chief executive officer Robert Donohue, chief financial officer Abby Green and production director Alex Livingstone were runners-up in the 2020 New Zealand Young Enterprise Awards after producing and marketing an Iranian super-food called barberry.
Robert said barberries contained a compound called berberine, which acted as an antioxidant, and helped to improve blood sugar control, treat diarrhoea and fight inflammation.
So the team started importing the berries and grinding them up into a powder which could be added to smoothies, yoghurt or breakfast cereals.
For any teenager, any product that could reduce acne was worth its weight in gold, he said.
The product is now being sold in several Dunedin health stores.
As part of Expo 2020 in Dubai, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) has collaborated with the New Zealand Young Enterprise Scheme (Yes) to run the Global Kaitiakitanga Project.
The project is an extension programme for five returning Yes companies to focus on sustainability and learn more about the exporting process.
"We were so honoured to be chosen to be one of the five companies participating," Robert said.
"Over the year, we will participate in workshops run by the NZTE staff - both virtually and in Wellington and Auckland - as well as receive one-on-one mentoring on which countries would be best suited to export our product to.
"The programme culminates in a Dragon’s Den-style pitch."
The winning company would receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai where they would present their product at Expo 2020 in front of an expected 25 million people.
"That’s the kind of exposure that you just can’t buy," he said.
