Tasmanian Botanics was the big winner at the Cannabiz Awards for Australia and New Zealand 2025 last night, taking home the Manufacturer and Company of the Year trophies.
CEO Dan Howard was named Business Leader of the Year.
The news caps a busy 12 months for Tasmanian Botanics, which also scored three wins at the 2024 awards and recently announced it would acquire Althea’s pharmaceutical assets in Australia.
The Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association (AMCA) also had a big night, recognised in the Best Patient-Focused Initiative category for its COMPASS compassionate access scheme, while chair Dr Teresa Nicoletti won the Cannabiz Award for Industry Advancement.
New winners included honahlee (Best Use of Technology), OnTracka and The Health Collective (Cannabiz Award for Industry Collaboration), Spring Sciences Australia (Start-up/Launch of the Year) and Hale Farm (Cultivator of the Year).
Debbie Ranson and RAYS Wellness both defended their titles – as Nurse and Dispensary/Pharmacy of the Year respectively – while Dr Laurence Kemp was named Prescribing Healthcare Practitioner and Leura Wellness won Clinic of the Year.
Companies recognised on the night included Heyday Medical for its Hey Dr Jim podcast (Best Education/Engagement Initiative), ECS Botanics (Medical Science Liaison Team of the Year), and Australian Natural Therapeutics Group for its BRIGHT Program (Cannabiz Award for Innovation).
Little Green Pharma was named Best Place to Work, Plant Pharm and Green Street Dispensary’s Jessica-Li Verschoor took home the Best Industry Newcomer trophy while the Hemp Product of the Year was Hemp Collective’s Hemp Hydration Balm.
The awards were judged by 33 senior industry figures in a rigorous, two-stage process and presented in front of a sold-out audience at Melbourne’s Plaza Ballroom.
The judges said of Tasmanian Botanics: “With revenue and sales growing by two thirds and profit up a whopping 78%, the company is building self-sufficiency through in-house extraction and refining processes, and expanding into minor cannabinoids and diverse terpene profiles.
“With a strong focus on regulatory compliance and environmental awareness, Tassie Botanics is committed to research, education, advocacy and affordability via compassionate access.”
Of Howard, they said: “Not only has Dan led Tasmanian Botanics to another year of outstanding growth, he has contributed his time, energy and expertise to industry events and to educating healthcare professionals in the community.
“He is people focused, committing $1 million of product for compassionate access and developing and recognising his workforce. With an absolute commitment to integrity, compliance and sustainability, Dan is an outstanding leader.”
Photos from the Cannabiz Awards 2025 can be viewed here.
The full list of award winners:
Hemp Product of the Year
WINNER: Hemp Hydration Balm – Hemp Collective
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Indica Hemp House
Best Education or Engagement Initiative
WINNER: Hey Dr Jim – Heyday Medical
Best Place to Work
WINNER: Little Green Pharma
Cannabiz Award for Innovation
WINNER: The BRIGHT Program – Australian Natural Therapeutics Group
Best Use of Technology
WINNER: Scripts by honahlee
HIGHLY COMMENDED: OnTracka
Clinic of the Year
WINNER: Leura Wellness
HIGHLY COMMENDED: MediCann Clinics
Dispensary/Pharmacy of the Year
WINNER: RAYS Wellness
Best Patient-Focused Initiative
WINNER: COMPASS – The Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association
Start-up/Launch of the Year
WINNER: Spring Sciences Australia
Cultivator of the Year
WINNER: Hale Farm
Manufacturer of the Year
WINNER: Tasmanian Botanics
Best Industry Newcomer
WINNER: Jessica-Li Verschoor – Plant Pharm and Green Street Dispensary
Prescribing Healthcare Practitioner of the Year
WINNER: Dr Laurence Kemp – Cann I Help
Nurse of the Year
WINNER: Debbie Ranson – The New Clinic
Cannabiz Award for Industry Collaboration
WINNER: OnTracka and The Health Collective
Cannabiz Award for Industry Advancement
WINNER: Dr Teresa Nicoletti – The Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Oz Medicann Group
Medical Science Liaison Team of the Year
WINNER: ECS Botanics
Company of the Year
WINNER: Tasmanian Botanics
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Australian Natural Therapeutics Group
Business Leader of the Year
WINNER: Dan Howard – Tasmanian Botanics