New Zealand food and drink producers have until Friday 25 March to enter the 2022 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards, which are being judged in Auckland on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 May.
Local producers harvesting, growing and making food which is available for retail sale can enter the awards online at https://www.outstandingfoodproducer.co.nz/entry-form/p/onzfpa-entry-2022.
The Awards engage the producer community, assess New Zealand food and drink and then promote the outstanding products to consumers across the country. Judges assess product for aroma, visual appearance, flavour, consistency and quality, accounting for 75% of total marks. Two specialist sustainability judges evaluate each producers’ journey to creating a sustainable business which positively contributes to the environment and its community, worth 15% of the total mark. Brand story and packaging account for the balance of marks.
Outstanding products are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals. Gold medal winners are also assessed for the Champion and Special Awards: Emerson’s Dairy Champion, Seafood New Zealand Water Champion, Farro Earth Champion, Giesen Wines Paddock Champion and Label & Litho Drink Champion. One Outstanding NZ Food Producer is named Supreme Champion. Special awards are: NZ Life & Leisure Spirit of New Zealand Award, Outstanding Sustainability, FMCG Business Outstanding New Product, Outstanding Free-From Product and Outstanding Start-Up Business.
Winning products are entitled to wear special Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards medal stickers, which are the consumers’ guarantee that they’re purchasing outstanding NZ-made produce. Following the announcement of the winners on 21 June, a series of Winner Dinners will be held around the country to celebrate outstanding produce and to introduce winning products to chefs and food lovers across New Zealand.
The 2022 Awards judging panel will again be led by advocate for artisan food producers, Lauraine Jacobs. They will be joined by a host of food and drink experts who will judge in specialist panels across the major categories; paddock, dairy, water, earth and drink. Sustainability judging will be led by Emily King, Director of Spira and Fiona Stephenson, National Communications Manager for the Sustainable Business Network.
Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards Director Kathie Bartley made special mention of the loyal sponsors who make the Awards possible; NZ Life & Leisure, Giesen Wines, Emerson’s Brewery, Farro, Seafood New Zealand, FMCG Business, Label & Litho, Fresh.co.nz, Coast and Marvellous Marketing.
