Entry open for the 2022 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards

A selection of fine NZ-made delicacies featuring cheese, charcuterie, dips, smoked salmon, crackers etc...displayed on a wooden table.

Kiwi food and drink producers have longer than ever to enter the 2022 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards, with entries open from now until Friday 25 March 2022.

Celebrating Kiwis who harvest, grow and make food and drink over the past six years, these Awards have built a reputation for supporting producers and helping them build their brands and generate sales. An example of this is the Outstanding Christmas Gift Guide created this year to help promote sales of award-winning New Zealand artisan food and drink.

This year’s Awards assessed a record 300 plus entries from 126 producers. Food and drink companies from Raglan to Wanaka were among the Special Award Winners and Champions with Wairarapa’s Homegrown Farm Fresh Meats named Supreme Champion 2021.

Assessment of the products for the 2022 Awards will be conducted in Auckland on Saturday 9 April under the guidance of Lauraine Jacobs, Head Judge for the sixth year. Lauraine will oversee around 30 judges who will assess products for taste, flavour and wow factor, which accounts for 85% of marks. Specialist sustainability judges will review entries awarding 15% of marks on an evaluation of each producer's journey to creating a sustainable business which positively contributes to the environment, its staff and local community.

Outstanding products are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals and these will be announced on Monday 16 May 2022. Gold Medal winners are 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 Startup Producer.

Winning products are entitled to wear special Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards medal stickers, which are consumers’ guarantee they’re purchasing outstanding Kiwi-made produce.

Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards Director Kathie Bartley thanked the Awards partners; NZ Life & Leisure, Coast, Emerson’s, Farro, FMCG Business, Giesen Wines, Label & Litho, Seafood New Zealand and Marvellous Marketing.

Entry online at https://www.outstandingfoodproducer.co.nz/awards