New Zealand’s food industry stars have been announced, with 47 products named as national finalists in the New Zealand Food Awards for 2015.
Competition was particularly tough this year with entries up 40% compared to 2014. Almost 150 products from 79 food and beverage producers were vying for an award. A broad range of entrants from niche operators to large scale producers will now compete to take out the top spot in a number of categories including food safety, convenience and gourmet, as well as the ultimate accolade of the Massey University Supreme Award.
Finalists in this year’s competition include Waitoa, Proper Crisps, LHF, Fonterra, Chef Series by Josh Emett and Whittaker’s.
Massey University Assistant Vice-Chancellor – External Relations, Penelope Barr-Sellers, says the awards are a fantastic opportunity to showcase new initiatives in New Zealand food and beverage production and manufacturing. “Massey University is proud to own and organise the NZ Food Awards, supporting our biggest export sector by providing a forum to celebrate industry excellence and innovation,” she says.
“With a long and proud history of driving innovation in agriculture and food, continuing to support the development and growth of these sectors is integral to what we do.”
The NZ Food Awards winners will be announced on Thursday, 17 September.
For more information, please visit www.foodawards.co.nz.
NZ Food Awards Finalists 2015
| Region | Organisation | Product | Variant | Category |
| Auckland | Life Health Foods Ltd | Bean Supreme Black Bean Beetroot Burger 340g | Black Bean Beetroot 340g | Chilled |
| Auckland | The Lovely Little Food Co. | I Love Pies Really Good Sausage Rolls | 400g packet | Frozen |
| Auckland | Venerdi Ltd. | Venerdi Paleo -Super Seeded | Super Seeded 520g | Dry |
| Auckland | Blue Frog Breakfast | Kaipara Kumara, Maple and Mixed Spice Cereal | Kaipara Kumara, Maple and Mixed Spice Cereal | Convenience |
| Auckland | Fonterra Brands (New Zealand) Ltd | Anchor Greek Style Yoghurt Natural 950g | Natural, plain unsweetened | Health & Wellness |
| Auckland | Barker’s of Geradine | Barker’s of Geraldine Preserves | New Zealand Seedless Bramble Berries | Dry; Health & Wellness |
| Auckland | Tasty Pot | Tasty Pot | Good Soup for a Bad Day 350g | Convenience |
| Auckland | Pure Delish | Choc Nut Nograin-ola | 400g | Dry |
| Auckland | Invivo Wines | Graham Norton’s Own Sauvignon Blanc | Sauvignon Blanc/Beverage | NZTE Export Award |
| Auckland | NZ Hothouse Ltd | Strawberry Tom | Vintage Harvest Strawberry Tom 250g punnet | MPI New Culti-vators/Primary Producers Award |
| Auckland | Beak NZ | Gold Free Farmed Pork Toulouse Style sausages | Gold Free Farmed Pork Toulouse Style sausages | Chilled |
| Auckland | Chef Series | Chef Series | Duck, Orange and Soy. 500gm. (one of 5 flavours) | Gourmet |
| Auckland | The Pure Food Co | The Pure Food Co | Golden Roast Chicken / 100g | Health & Wellness |
| Auckland | Fonterra Brands (NZ) Ltd | Anchor Greek Style Yoghurt Passionfruit | Passionfruit | Health & Wellness |
| Auckland | Fonterra Brands (NZ) Ltd | Anchor Uno Smooth Yoghurt Strawberry | Strawberry | Health & Wellness |
| Auckland | Genevieve’s | Original Chicken Liver Parfait | Original Chicken Liver Parfait 100g | AsureQuality Food Safety |
| Auckland | Barker’s of Geraldine | Barker’s of Geraldine Squeezed Rhubarb with Raspberry & Rosehip Fruit Syrup | Squeezed Rhubarb with Raspberry & Rosehip Fruit Syrup | Beverages |
| Auckland | Ahi Ka Tonics | Ahi Ka Tonics | Kawakawa Leaf Tonic | The FOODBOWL Novel Ingredients Award |
| Auckland | Blue Frog Breakfast | Blue Frog Breakfast Ltd | Paleo Dark Cacao, Bitter Orange and Ceylon Cinnamon 350gm | Convenience; The FOODBOWL Novel Ingredients Award |
| Auckland | Life Health Foods NZ Ltd | Naked Locals Franklin Hearty Vegetable Soup | Hearty Vegetable Soup 500g | Chilled |
| Auckland | Waiwera Global Limited | Waiwera Mahurangi Gin | 700ml | Beverages |
| Auckland | Waiwera Global Limited | Waiwera ‘Spiced Gold’ Rum | 700ml | Beverages |
| Auckland | Epicurean Dairy Ltd. | The Collective Greek Yoghurt Scoff’rs Date and Cacao | The Collective Greek Yoghurt Scoff’rs Date and Cacao | Chilled; Rabobank Business Innovation Award |
| Auckland | Cathedral Cove Naturals | Raw Paleo Super Cereal | Raw Paleo Super Cereal with Goji, Vanilla Bean, Chia, Macadamia, Brazil and Cashew | Convenience |
| Auckland | Huffman’s Limited | Huffman’s Original Chilli Pepper Not Too Hot Sauce | 300ml | Gourmet |
| Auckland | Dr Feelgood Ltd. | Dr Feelgoods Hand Made Ice Pops, | ||
| Raspberry Lime and Coconut | 1 x 75ml Raspberry Lime and Coconut | Indulgent; The FOODBOWL Novel Ingredients Award | ||
| Manukau, Auckland | Brink’s Chicken | Brink’s Free Range Manuka Smoked Breast Deli Roll | Manuka Smoked | Deli; AsureQuality Food Safety |
| Christchurch | A. Verkerk Ltd | Protein Snack Pack | 90g | Deli; Rabobank Business Innovation Award |
| Dunedin | Hammerhead Foods Ltd | Hammerhead Foods – Go Gourmet Thailand | Go Gourmet Thailand 25g | Convenience |
| Wanaka | The Soda Press Co. | The Soda Press Co. | 500ml bottle | NZTE Export Award |
| Hastings | Kiwigarden Limited | Kiwigarden crunchy apple slices | Apple slices,5x9g packaging | MPI New Culti-vators/Primary Producers Award |
| Hastings | Kiwigarden Limited | Kiwigarden mixed berry yoghurt drops | Mixed berry yoghurt drops,5x9g packaging | NZTE Export Award; The FOODBOWL Novel Ingredients Award |
| Havelock North | The Te Mata Mushroom Company Limited | Vitamin D Mushrooms | 250g Portabello Prepack | Chilled; MPI New Cultivators/Pri-mary Producers Award |
| Nelson | Pic’s Peanut Butter | Pic’s Peanut a Butter Slugs | 30g, smooth, salted peanut butter | Dry; NZTE Export Award |
| Nelson | Proper Snack Foods Limited | Proper Hand Cooked Crisps | 140 grams | Indulgent |
| Nelson | Tasman Bay Food Group | Juicies Tubes | Juicies Tropical flavour | NZTE Export Award; Rabobank Business Innovation Award |
| Nelson | Viberi New Zealand | ViBeri Dark Chocolate Rolled New Zealand Organic Blackcurrant Berries | 90g | The FOODBOWL Novel Ingredients Award |
| Stewart Island | Stewart Island Smoked Salmon | Stewart Island Smoked Salmon | Manuka wood chip used in smoking/ pack sizes various min 150 gms | Gourmet |
| Raglan | Raglan Coconut Yoghurt Ltd | Raglan Coconut Yoghurt | Plain | Gourmet |
| Te Awamutu | Magills Butchery Ltd | Magills Slow Cooked Pulled Hereford Beef | Magills Slow Cooked Pulled Hereford Beef – 400 grams | Chilled; MPI New Cultivators/Pri-mary Producers Award |
| Waitoa | Inghams Enterprises (NZ) Pty. Limited | Waitoa Gluten Free Original Tenders | Waitoa Gluten Free Tenders 350g | Frozen |
| Wellington | Wellington Chocolate Factory | Samoa Bar | Samoa bar (85-90) | Indulgent |
| Wellington | Fix and Fogg | Fix and Fogg Smoke and Fire peanut butter | Smoke and Fire peanut butter | Gourmet |
| Wellington | Wooden Spoon Boutique Freezery Ltd | Wooden Spoon Boutique Freezery Ltd | Shiver-Me-Timbers (caramel + sea salt ice cream between 2 chocolate cookies | Indulgent |
| Welling-ton | Mr Fox Ice Blocks | Mr Fox Ice Blocks Chocolate | Chocolate 72mls each | Indulgent |
| Porirua | Whittaker’s | Whittaker’s | Whittaker’s Nelson Pear and Manuka Honey / 100g | The FOODBOWL Novel Ingredients Award |
