25 Apr 2014 SA’s 2014 dairy champs!
Klein River Cheese Grana, a slow matured hard cheese, produced by Klein River Cheese outside Stanford, has earned the most coveted honour of being named 2014 Product of the Year at the DuPont Qualité Awards, organised by Agri-Expo. This prestigious accolade, as well as the Qualité awards granted to a select few top dairy products, are the highest honours of the SA Dairy Championships, presented this year presented for the 180th time. [Click pic to enlarge]
“Presenting these Championships for 180 years, as well as the impressive growth in number of entries and their quality over the last decade, is indeed an achievement of note. The Championships today represents the entire South African dairy industry and is recognised as one of the top dairy competitions in the world,” says Johan Ehlers, Agri-Expo CEO.
This year 68 producers entered 821 products in the categories for butter, cheese, cottage cheese, yoghurt, flavoured milk, dairy dips, ice cream and dairy dessert.
According to internationally experienced cheese judge, Ulf Mortensen, the general level of quality of the entries has improved since he last judged at the SA Dairy Championships in 2012.
“The vast majority of samples were of reasonably good to very good quality,” he says. “My contribution would be to encourage cheesemakers to make sure that a cheese is not simply good tasting, but in fact also attractive to look at. After all, consumers buy with their eyes first, then on account of smell and finally the taste.”
According to Darryl Clayton, DuPont Nutrition & Health Sub-Saharan Africa sales director, “The Qualité Awards have been supported by DuPont (Danisco) for many years and continue to foster and reward efforts in quality and innovation in the dairy sector,” Clayton says. “These dairy sector awards remain at the forefront of industry recognition and are a worthy example of what other industries should try to emulate to foster innovation”.
SA Dairy Product of the Year
The Klein River Cheese Grana impressed the judges with its typically strong, yet fruity and slightly sweet flavours and granular texture. Its smooth, natural rind is hard and thick for optimal preservation.
Comments chief judge, Kobus Mulder: “The SA Dairy Championships draws the best dairy products of the country and it is usually a tough challenge to choose the best product in each class. However, the Klein River Cheese Grana so impressed the judges with its great taste and typical texture that they were in total agreement that this was indeed Number 1.”
Qualité winners
Fifteen exceptional products will wear the 2014 Qualité mark of excellence. This year Lancewood had the highest tally of four Qualité awards for its:
- Low Fat Smooth Cottage Cheese
- Low Fat Chunky Chives Cottage Cheese
- Woolworths Creamed Cottage Cheese
- Pick ‘n Pay Low Fat Peppadew and Garlic Chunky Cottage Cheese
Marcel’s Frozen Yoghurt followed closely on its heels with:
- Woolworths Tropical Fruit Frozen Yoghurt
- Woolworths Double Toffee Frozen Yoghurt
- Nougat Flavoured Frozen Yoghurt with Macadamia Nuts
Clover SA won a duo of awards for:
- Mooirivier Salted Butter
- Butro Butter Spread with sunflower oil
The following producers were awarded one Qualité each:
- Belnori Boutique Cheesery – Von Tobien
- Fair Cape Dairies – Woolworths Chocolate Delight
- Karoo Goat’s Milk Products – Soft Goat’s Milk Cheese Balls with Garlic Pepper
- Klein River Cheese – Grana
- Parmalat SA – Simonsberg Low Fat Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese
- Van der Poel Kaas – Gonedsa Oud 12-15 months
SA Champions
Ninety-five of the 821 dairy products entered for this year’s Du Pont SA Dairy Championships, were heralded as SA Champions. Parmalat, South Africa’s largest producer of dairy products took the lead with 13 champions, followed by Lancewood Holdings with ten, Fair Cape Dairies with seven and Belnori Boutique Cheesery and Clover SA with six each.
Contact Agri-Expo for more information about the SA Dairy Championships at 021 975 4440 or visit www.cheesesa.co.za.
Related reading:
Dalewood’s Huguenot cheese wears SA’s 2013 dairy crown