Last night, Sarah Sammon, Co-Founder of Simply Rose Petals, became the first Australian winner of the Veuve Clicquot New Generation Award.

The award is part of a global initiative and recognises the success and vision of up-and-coming, entrepreneurial business women, specifically those under the age of 40. This age group is chosen in remembrance of Madame Clicquot, who, at just 27 years of age, took over the Champagne House following the death of her husband.

Sarah was selected by judges – Sarah-Jane Clarke, Carolyn Creswell, Mandy Foley, Jo Horgan, Kristina Karlsson, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, Angela Mentis, Louise Olsen and Sarah Bentley, as someone who best reflects Madame Clicquot’s values of innovation, audacity and fearlessness.

Sarah, together with her mother Jan Slater, founded Australia’s first rose petal farm. Despite the family and their business facing a number of challenges over the years, Sarah has continued to lead with innovation and today, Simply Rose Petals is a thriving agricultural business, exporting across the globe.

As the winner, Sarah receives a trophy, bottle of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame and a trip to France in October next year, where she will join the Veuve Clicquot International Business Woman Forum and visit the Manoir de Verzy and House’s vineyards in Reims. There she will have a vine baptised in her name, recognising her legacy and lifelong relationship with Veuve Clicquot.

Sarah said in an interview with drinks bulletin: “I’m extremely honoured to be even just a part of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Network and one of the finalists, as well as to have been awarded by such high caliber judges; I am absolutely thrilled about receiving the award.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to be part of such an incredible network and also for me, being a young female farmer, this provides a great opportunity for me to encourage other young entrepreneurs and other young people involved in agriculture, because it’s really an industry where the work force is ageing and there’s a declining number of female farmers.

“In addition, we’re about to release this new range of products – a culinary rose petal range, which we’re hoping to release at the end of this month for garnishing cocktails, Champagne and cakes, and more, and this award has given me such inspiration and drive to really push my entrepreneurship into the new product.”

Other finalists of the award included Jodie Fox – Director of Fashion and Co-Founder, Shoes of Prey; Emma Isaacs – CEO and Founder, Business Chicks; Aimee Marks – CEO and Founder, TOM Organic; and Tina Tower – CEO and Founder, Begin Bright.