Print
Entrepreneurs

Spotlighting This Year's MADE Awards

By Cece Nunn, posted Sep 17, 2021
Each year, a spotlight shines on manufacturers and makers in the Cape Fear region, revealing that the area is home to more made-in-Wilmington products than residents and even business leaders might realize.
 
The Greater Wilmington Business Journal launched the MADE Awards for that very reason, to recognize makers, manufacturers, artisans, designers, small businesses and the businesses that support them in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties.
 
Those chosen by the judges each year cover a wide range of products being conceived and produced in the local market.
 
This year, nominations came in from businesses vying in six categories: Manufactuer, Exporter, Functional Products (examples include tools, gadgets, beauty products, furniture and industrial/medical devices), Arts (such as apparel, accessories, textiles, home goods and stationery), Food & Beverage (such as wine and spirits, dry/ baked/canned goods and sustainable foods) and Supporter (examples include patent law firms, manufacturing associations, SBA lenders and retail markets that carry local products).
 
A panel of outside judges combed through the nominations and were asked to base their choices for winners on several factors, including:
 
• Does the business have unique offerings in its market?
 
• Which companies are likely to grow sales the most, particularly in other parts of the country and/or internationally?
 
• Is the continued growth of the company likely to result in the creation of more jobs in the region and a positive impact on local economic development?
 
• and for the Supporter category: Which organization is best equipped to help businesses that make products expand quickly, resulting in more jobs locally and other positive impacts on local economic development?
 
In the end, the judges chose three top winners for the Manufacturer, Exporter, Functional Products, Food & Beverage and Arts categories and one overall for the Supporter designation. Those winners are profiled on the following pages.
 
The winners will each have a table at this year’s WilmingtonBiz Conference & Expo, also produced by the Business Journal, on Oct. 7 at the Wilmington Convention Center.
 
Outside of the annual awards, the Business Journal wants to continue to spotlight the MADE focus yearround. Each month in one of our print editions, we’ll feature a locally based company making goods and products in the Cape Fear region.
 
To be considered for the feature, contact newsroom@wilmingtonbiz. com.
 

To see the winners for the Manufacturer Category, click here

To see the winners for the Functional Product Category, click here

To see the winners for the Food and Beverage Category, click here

To see the winners for the Arts Category, click here

To see the winners for the Supporter Business Category, click here

To see the winners for the Exporter Category, click here

 

JUDGING THE APPLICANTS

The MADE award’s goal is to recognize products made in Southeastern North Carolina.
Any company with an operation in New Hanover, Brunswick or Pender counties was eligible. Their product could be in production or in the prototype stage.
After the nomination period, a panel of outside judges reviewed the submissions and picked the winners. In picking the winners, judges were asked to weigh whether the nominated businesses had unique offerings in their market; which were likely to grow sales the most, particularly in other parts of the country and/or internationally; and if continued growth would likely result in the creation of more jobs in the region and impact local economic development.
For the Supporter category, judges considered what nominated organization was best equipped to help businesses that make products expand quickly.
 

2021 MADE Judges

RHONDA BELLAMY
Executive Director, The Arts Council of Wilmington/New Hanover County
 
JERRY COLEMAN
Director of Cape Fear Community College’s Small Business Center
 
ERIN EASTON
Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership and Workforce Training Coordinator at CFCC’s Workforce and Economic Development Division
 
APRIL SCOTT
Director of Brunswick Community Center’s Small Business Center
Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Chris coudriet

A Public Service Profile on Creating Beauty in Our Community

Chris Coudriet - New Hanover County Government
Burrus rob headshot 300x300

Spreading Wings for Flight: 2nd Annual Trade Show Highlights the Ingenuity of UNCW Business Students

Robert Burrus - Cameron School of Business - UNC-Wilmington
2022052 75 142344351

Bridging Futures: The Case for Toll Funding in Wilmington’s Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Revamp

Natalie English - Wilmington Chamber of Commerce

Trending News

New Hotel Proposed Along Market Street In Ogden

Emma Dill - Mar 15, 2024

Businesses Reopen A Week After Grace Street Facade Collapse

Emma Dill - Mar 15, 2024

Tech Upskilling Cohort To Host First Wilmington Class

Audrey Elsberry - Mar 15, 2024

In The Current Issue

Park Progress

The planning for Pender Commerce Park began in the early 2000s when the county wanted to create an economic driver on its largely rural west...


Berries, A Battlefield And More In Pender

The N.C. Blueberry Festival, founded in 2003, is one of several events in Pender County that have drawn more attention over the years....


Expanding Tastes On Castle Street

As John Willse and Beth Guertin, owners of Wilmington Wine bottle shop and now the recently opened Creative Tastings restaurant on Castle St...

Book On Business

The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2023 Power Breakfast: Major Developments