We are immensely proud to announce that Board member and treasurer Debbie Hawkes, a long-standing contributor to the Allergen Bureau, has been honoured with the Exceptional Leadership in the Food Industry Award at the NZIFST 2024 Annual Conference.
Debbie’s journey in the food industry began with her Food Technology degree from Massey University, and she has amassed over 30 years of experience in Quality and Food Safety Operational roles in New Zealand. Her illustrious career includes positions at Germantown, Danisco, and Dupont, where she managed food ingredient products across the Asia Pacific and South Asia regions. Currently, Debbie serves as the IT Systems & Process Manager at Hawkins Watts.
Debbie’s journey in the food industry began with her Food Technology degree from Massey University, and she has amassed over 30 years of experience in Quality and Food Safety Operational roles in New Zealand. Her illustrious career includes positions at Germantown, Danisco, and Dupont, where she managed food ingredient products across the Asia Pacific and South Asia regions. Currently, Debbie serves as the IT Systems & Process Manager at Hawkins Watts.
Her governance experience is equally impressive, including a term as NZIFST Auckland Branch Chair (1995-1997) and her current role as a board member of the Allergen Bureau. Debbie’s affinity for quality systems and information technology has significantly impacted the food industry.
Debbie’s involvement with the Allergen Bureau dates back to its inception in 2006 when she represented Danisco, one of the Bureau’s Founding Members. Since then, she has been an active participant in numerous Working Groups and has served on the Allergen Bureau Board since October 2017. One of her most notable contributions was the initial development and creation of the Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling (VITAL®) calculator, launched in 2007. This tool, now a cornerstone of allergen management, has been downloaded hundreds of times and is recognised globally for its importance in providing scientifically supported allergen information.
Together with NZIFST we celebrate Debbie Hawkes, self-proclaimed ‘Excel-loving’ developer of the ‘First Architecture’ of the VITAL calculator. Her exceptional achievement has underpinned the evolution of world-class allergen management within the Australia New Zealand and broader food industries. Her work enables accurate food labelling that supports thousands of consumers with food allergy and their caregivers in making informed food choices.
Congratulations, Debbie Hawkes, Hawkins Watts New Zealand. Your leadership and dedication continue to inspire and advance the food industry.
