A record number of gold medals have been awarded in this year’s NZ Ice Cream and Gelato Awards.
Chief Judge Jackie Matthews says it’s a reflection of the quality in the industry. “The quality of these locally produced ice creams, gelatos and sorbets is as good as ever, proven by the high number of gold medals awarded.”
“It’s across the board, we saw strong medal results in the Sorbet and the Best of Chocolate Category, they both offered many stand out entries on judging day. What’s more the judges were impressed by the innovation in the Open Creative entries, with twice as many gold medals awarded in this category compared to the previous judging in 2020.”
Judges awarded 189 medals – a record of 61 gold medals were presented, 66 silver medals were awarded and for the first time in its 25-year history the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards have conferred 62 bronze medals.
Gold Medal winners included Dark Chocolate Ice Cream and also Choc Orange Ice Cream from PURE New Zealand Ice Cream; Much Moore Ice Cream Co’s Wonders Vanilla Ice Cream; Tip Top Ice Cream Company’s Kapiti Plant Based Choc Fudge Brownie; Lewis Road Creamery’s Chocolate Truffle with Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream; and several sorbet flavours from Gellicious Gelato, to name just a few.
Jackie Matthews, supported by a panel of 20 judges and 10 stewards assessed 290 New Zealand ice creams, gelatos, sorbets and dairy-free frozen products on 23 and 24 July 2022.
The Awards, run by the NZ Ice Cream Association, have been held since 1997 and are celebrating 25 years recognising Aotearoa’s finest and sharing the results with Kiwi ice cream lovers. New Zealand Ice Cream Association president, Karl Tiefenbacher is pleased with this year’s results, saying after all the challenges of the past couple of years it’s heartening to see the quality of locally made ice cream and gelato is better than ever.
“Ice Cream and Gelato is the perfect treat for Kiwis to reward themselves at the end of a busy week and as an industry we’re thrilled that we’re giving Kiwis a little taste of joy – which we know is made to the highest quality standards.”
Tiefenbacher says the announcement of this year’s awards is significant. “Continual evolution over the past quarter of a century has ensured these Awards represent our evolving industry. For example, this year we’ve included gelato in the Awards name, recognising the huge love Kiwis have for gelato and the importance it has in production, compared to when the awards started in 1997.”
Fourteen Category Champions and two Supreme Champions; Americold Supreme Champion and Formula Foods Supreme Boutique Champion will be announced at the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards Gala Awards Dinner in Auckland on 1 September 2022. The medal winners are listed here.
