After the successful inaugural awards this year, Kiwi producers are encouraged to enter the 2018 Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards.
The Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards recognises this country’s best food and drinks producers. Whether people are growing apples, tomatoes, kiwifruit, potatoes or fresh herbs; making relish or preserves; raising sheep or cattle; making sausages or practicing charcuterie, making cheese or dairy products; fishing or farming seafood or producing smoked seafood or pâté – these awards recognise their hard work and outstanding products.
Created by Kathie Bartley and Nicola McConnell of Marvellous Marketing, the first Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards in 2017 attracted more than 150 entries and recognised more than 80 producers with nearly 60 products endorsed as finalists or category winners.
The supreme champion of the inaugural Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards was Absolute NZ Meat from the East Cape. Category winners included; Whitestone Cheese Co, Fix & Fogg, Jersey Girl Organic, Farm Eighty4, The Prodigal Daughter, Cloudy Bay Clams and Keewai Fresh Water Crayfish.
Bartley says they are delighted to have extended the awards for 2018 with more categories, recognising New Zealand producers’ innovation in sustainability, design and artisan non-alcoholic drinks. The 2018 awards will be judged in the following categories:
- Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer 2018
- NZ Life & Leisure Spirit of Innovation Award
- Fresh.co.nz Outstanding NZ Dairy Producer
- Outstanding NZ Water Producer (Ocean, Lake or River)
- Ara Wines Outstanding NZ Paddock Producer
- Farro Fresh Outstanding NZ Earth Producer
- FMCG Business Outstanding New Product
- T & G Global Outstanding Sustainability Award
- Label & Litho Outstanding Design
- Outstanding Drinks Award
Entry is online at https://outstandingfoodproducer.nz with each entry $85+GST ($97.75). As well as having their product assessed by the country’s leading food judges, entrants receive feedback on their product and complimentary entry to food marketing workshops to be held in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch in 2018.
Judging will be at Auckland’s Fresh Factory with a large panel of leading food experts.
Products must arrive in Auckland for judging on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 March 2018, with a full day of judging on Wednesday 21 March 2018. Entrants will receive feedback from Monday 2 April 2018 with Gold and Silver medal winners announced on Monday 9 April 2018. Special Award Winners, Category Champions and a Supreme Champion will be announced on Wednesday 2 May 2018 at a Gala Cocktail Awards evening at Fresh Factory, Auckland.
Early in 2018 Kiwi foodies will be invited to join the search for New Zealand’s finest by voting online for Coast Outstanding Product, Coast Outstanding Producer and Outstanding Farmers’ Market.
Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards partners include NZ Life & Leisure, Fresh.co.nz, Ara Wines, Farro Fresh, Coast, FMCG Business, Label & Litho and T & G Global.
