Fonterra triumphs at New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards

NEW ZEALAND – Fonterra’s cheesemakers have been celebrated at the New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards, with both the Co-operative’s Ingredients and Foodservice brands, NZMP and Anchor Food Professionals, taking home awards.

NZMP (New Zealand Milk Products) won the Sealed Air – Bulk Cheddar Cheese Trophy for their Epicure, with production led by Shehan Winter, Plant Manager at Fonterra’s Lichfield site.

Anchor Food Professionals took out the Tetra Pak – Retail Cheddar Cheese Trophy for their Mild Cheddar, with production led by Darryn Holland, Processing Supervisor at Fonterra’s Hautapu site.

With a record 267 entries, the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association hosted the gala on 19 March at Auckland’s Shed 10 – celebrating the very best of Kiwi cheesemaking.

Fonterra’s Cheese Technical Business Support Lead, Andrew Huxford, who was a judge at the event, said the awards are a welcome nod to the people behind the cheese.

“There’s a lot of pride and hard work that goes into making great cheese every day. That consistency and quality matter to our Ingredients and Foodservice customers, so it’s awesome to see the teams behind it getting recognition on a national stage.”

From farm to customers worldwide

Using around 15 percent of the Co-operative’s total milk solids each year, cheese is an important element in both the Ingredients and Foodservice space.

Through NZMP, Fonterra supplies cheese and dairy ingredients to customers in more than 100 countries, where they are used by some of the world’s most famous food and nutrition brands.

Anchor Food Professionals works closely with chefs, bakers and foodservice operators, developing cheeses to perform in busy kitchens and high-volume environments.

Fonterra’s presence at this year’s awards reflects the scale and variety of cheese made across the Co-op. Entries from NZMP and Anchor Food Professionals represented six sites nationwide, spanning styles from mozzarella and cream cheese to gouda, edam, parmesan and block cheddars.

Together, they showcased the skills of cheesemakers across the Lichfield, Hautapu, Te Rapa, Clandeboye, Darfield and Whareroa sites.  

What the awards celebrate

Now in its third decade, the New Zealand Cheese Awards are regarded as the benchmark for cheesemaking excellence across the country.

Cheeses are assessed through a rigorous blind-judging process, with judges evaluating appearance, aroma, texture and flavour.

Simon Berry, Chair of the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association, says the night showcased the quality and innovation within New Zealand’s cheesemaking community.  

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