Entries for the 2021 New Zealand Food Awards opened on 1 May, with revamped categories, a new judging process and team of judges. After a disrupted 2020, the awards programme is returning to its roots, with a few fresh concepts for entrants.
The New Zealand Food Awards have celebrated New Zealand’s food and beverage manufacturers, focusing on innovation and excellence, since 1987. Powered by Massey University, the awards are open to small and large food and beverage manufacturers, primary food producers, food service providers and ingredient supply companies. This year, the awards have expanded to build on last year’s “Food Hero” theme – developed during lockdown to celebrate the way Kiwi companies responded and reacted to the global pandemic.
Entrants have the opportunity to put forward their products to an expert judging panel, receive feedback and benchmark themselves against industry peers, providing valuable insights for future development and approaches. The award categories provide many opportunities for manufacturers to showcase different products aimed at national and international markets.
Massey University is proud to be principal sponsor and owner of the New Zealand Food Awards. The university’s involvement stems from the leading role it plays at the forefront of food-related education and research in New Zealand and globally for decades through a range of health and science programmes and research centres. From food science and product development to nutrition and dietetics, as well as farming and horticulture, Massey’s name is synonymous with New Zealand’s innovative food sector.
Massey University Vice Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas is thrilled to see the awards’ emphasis on innovation, sustainability and excellence.
“These three pillars are at the centre of everything we do at Massey, so it’s great to see the awards align so well with the very institute behind it all. All businesses should strive for excellence, embrace innovation, and now more than ever, be more sustainable in all that they do.
“Massey is excited to again tell the stories behind New Zealand’s exceptional food and beverage producers. We are proud to be part of a partner network that educates and supports producers, empowering them to represent the best of Aotearoa in food and beverage product innovation globally. I look forward to seeing what products and companies put themselves out there this year.”
There are 12 categories this year, with products and business judged across three areas:
• Product awards
• Business awards
• Community awards
Each category has set criteria and only entrants exhibiting the highest levels of the awards’ core characteristics will rise to the standard of finalist, winner and supreme winner. The judging process reflects the New Zealand Food Awards brand values of innovation, sustainability and excellence.
The judging process is built on the pillars of technical capability, consumer acceptability, regulatory compliance and food quality and safety. Entries are required to meet their category criteria and baseline scoring for each judging phase to progress. This ensures consumers can trust any brand wearing the New Zealand Food Awards quality mark, know the product is manufactured here in New Zealand and that it represents outstanding food technology, production, manufacturing and marketing.
The supreme winner is selected from the winners of each of the individual category awards. Businesses can enter each product in up to three categories and in addition to this, there is free entry into the Food Safety Culture and Food Hero categories.
The New Zealand Food Awards are proud to be represented by a panel of New Zealand’s leading food and beverage experts as judges. The judges represent a cross-section of the industry and bring technical, culinary, scientific, and commercial expertise to the awards.
The awards programme is made possible with the support of Palmerston North City Council, New Zealand Food Safety, Countdown, AsureQuality, Cuisine Magazine, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Villa Maria, FMCG Business, FoodHQ, The FoodBowl, The FoodPilot, and The New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology Ltd.
2021 Categories
Product Awards
Beverage – Sponsored by the Food Innovation Network
Artisan – Sponsored by Cuisine
Chilled – Sponsored by Food HQ
Below Zero
Pantry – Sponsored by Countdown
Primary Sector – Sponsored by New Zealand Food Safety
Health and Wellbeing – Sponsored by Countdown
Novel
Product Lifetime Achievement Award – Sponsored by AsureQuality
Business Awards
Business Innovation
Food Safety Culture – Sponsored by New Zealand Food Safety
Community Awards
Food Hero – Sponsored by Palmerston North City Council
Key dates
1 May – Entries open
31 May – Entries close
5-9 July – Judging week
18 August – Finalists announced
18-31 August – People’s Choice voting open
14 October – Gala dinner and winners announced – location yet to be confirmed
For more information, visit www.foodawards.co.nz
