Supreme Champion 2024
Mind Your Temper Black Forest Bonbon
A chocolate so good no-one knows its vegan is the Leefield Station Outstanding Food Producer Awards 2024 Supreme Champion
Mind Your Temper’s vegan Black Forest Bonbon described by judges as ‘faultless’ has been named Leefield Station Supreme Champion and Bonbon Champion at this year’s Outstanding Food Producer Awards.
Crafted from plant-based chocolate made with coconut milk powder, Mind Your Temper Black Forest Bonbon is one of a range of treats which creator, Christchurch’s Nel Vincencio says surprise people when they learn they are vegan. “A funny thing happens if I say something is vegan or plant-based. People become suspicious and expect it won’t taste good.’ The Outstanding Food Producer Awards judges weren’t discouraged; they said the Bonbon had “Perfect gloss and shine. Outstanding developed flavour. Exemplary. Amazing flavour journey. Faultless.”
Outstanding Food Producer Awards
Champions 2024
Emerson’s Paddock Joint Champions
Matangi Angus Beef, Matangi Bavette.
Emerson’s Paddock Champion Pure South Handpicked Beef 55-day Aged Ribeye
A a lesser known cut, the Matangi Bavette is a similar to a flank steak. The Outstanding Food Producer Awards judges said ‘Stand out product…great clean taste. Mouthfeel and texture totally impressed all the judges. Fantastic barbecue cut.’
Ageing meat enhances succulence, tenderness and flavour and ageing for 55 days is a significant feat which adds to flavour. Our judges noted ‘Marbling and fat add to a brilliant flavour. Heartwarming. Judges wanted to go back for more and more.’
Seafood New Zealand Water Champion
Akaroa King Salmon Fillet
A multi-year winning producer, Akaroa King Salmon received the NZ Life & Leisure Spirit of New Zealand Award in 2021. Of the King Salmon Fillet this year’s judges said; ‘The perfect portion size meant that the texture was excellent. Nice salinity, fresh taste.’
Leefield Station Dairy Joint Champions
Charlies Gelato Lemon Gelato
Island Gelato Co Rich Chocolate Gelato
Of Island Gelato Co, Rich Chocolate Gelato the judges raved saying; ‘Luscious texture and mouthfeel backed up with full-bodied chocolate kick of flavour. Rich colour and balanced dark chocolate bitterness. Lovely sheen and scoop holds well. Judges could not fault this product.’
Charlies Gelato Lemon Gelato Of the Matakana-made Charlies Gelato Lemon Gelato the judges’ noted ‘a good balance of sweetness and tartness’, set apart the small batch, slow-churned Italian-style ice cream.
Farro Earth Champion
Branch Creek Honey, Raw Clover Blend Honey, Cardrona Valley is from the bee keeping prowess of Jess Curtis. Born and bred in the Cardrona Valley on a fifth-generation family farm Jess developed her business after her grandfather Ray introduced her to the magic of bees, with the hives he kept to pollinate the farm’s clover pastures. Of Branch Creek Honey, Raw Clover Blend Honey the judges said’ ‘Smooth, shiny and judges loved the natural crystallisation. Viscosity and colour are gorgeous. Excellent honey.’
Label & Litho Drink Champion
Six Barrel Soda Yuzu & Mandarin Seltz Drops
Six Barrel Soda Yuzu & Mandarin Seltz Dropstaste great and contribute to a better world. Just a couple of drops of Yuzu & Mandarin Seltz Drops lift carbonated water to another level with the judges noting the ‘bright, fresh aromas true to the seasonal ingredients providing its natural flavours’. One 50 ml recyclable bottle makes the equivalent of 50 cans; saving stacks of aluminium cans being produced.
Free-From Champion
NaturKidz Fruit Crispz
NaturKidz Fruit Crispz range is a new Nelson business established by food marketer Bonnie Slade. A mother of two school children, Bonnie wanted a healthy product for school lunch boxes. NaturKidz starts with good-quality but blemished fruit which would usually end up in landfill creating a healthy, minimally processed, no additive, no preservative snack.
Chocolate Bean-to-Bar Champion
Foundry Chocolate Ea Kar, Đắk Lắk, Vietnam 70%
In 2020 its first year of entry Foundry Chocolate was named Outstanding New Business and also NZ Chocolate Awards Supreme Champion, since then its won multiple medals. Cacao beans this entry came from Vietnam’s Đắk Lắk province, recognised for quality cacao with intriguing flavours suggestive of silky crème brulée, buttery toffee and delicate woody spices.
FMCG Business Outstanding New Product Champion
Paneton Bakery & L’Authentique Toulouse Sausage Rolls
A collaboration between two former Outstanding Food Producer Awards winners, the judges noted; ‘Tastes homemade which the judges loved. Delicious pastry, very very tasty sausage. Pastry and sausage both good quality. Innovative. Excellent flavour…’
Farro Outstanding New Boutique Product Champion
Opito Bay Salt Company Kampot Pepper Fine Sea Salt
Started when Perry Cornish and Erin Mone abandoned their city jobs and headed to Coromandel, Opito Bay Salt Company was first recognised in 2021 when they were named Emerging Business Champion. This year in awarding Opito Bay Salt Company Kampot Pepper Fine Sea Salt the judges’ said; ‘Extremely enticing aroma, pepper is prominent. Balanced appearance. Exciting peppery whack in good balance with the salt. Well distributed and even. Judges would buy and use. Brings up nostalgic white pepper memories.’
BYD Auto New Zealand Sustainability Champion
Hamlin Road Farm – Pathways Health
Hamlin Road Farm is an organic, commercial vegetable grower as well as a mental health and addiction service. Herbs and vegetables are grown while working to emphasise the importance of relationships between people and the land while recognising the critical link between good nutrition and mental health. As well as its sustainability credentials, Hamlin Road Farm fresh grown vegetables caught the judges’ taste buds, being award five gold medals.
Emerging Business Champion
Wild Child Ferments
Wild Child Ferments from North Canterbury, is a small single person start up. Olivia Johnson developed a passion for fermentation while travelling and working in British Columbia when her tent neighbour shared fermented foods at their campfire dinners. Now mother to a two-year-old ‘wild child’ living on her husband’s Greta Valley family farm and fermenting, Olivia’s small business has eight sauerkrauts and two kimchis.
NZ Life & Leisure Spirit of New Zealand Award
Oakley’s Premium Fresh Vegetables
Robin Oakley is the fifth generation of Oakley family to farm in Southbridge, Canterbury, while his daughter April is the sixth. All their vegetables are grown with an eye on long term sustainability, with all management decisions considered against the environment and people as well financial levers. This approach drove the installation of a solar electricity generation system which powers the washing and packhouse and all their refrigeration.
