New Awards Celebrate NZ's Outstanding Primary Produce

NEW AWARDS UNEARTH NEW ZEALAND’S OUTSTANDING PRIMARY PRODUCE

Media Release
Tuesday 29 November 2016

Farmers and horticulturalists are being encouraged to enter new awards developed to celebrate New Zealand’s outstanding primary producer.

The Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards, in partnership with leading lifestyle title NZ Life & Leisure will acknowledge this country’s best producers. Whether people are growing apples, kiwifruit, potatoes or fresh herbs; making chutney or jams; raising sheep or cattle; making sausages smoking meat or practising charcuterie, fishing or farming seafood or making seafood pate – these awards will recognise their hard work and outstanding products.

Created by two of the country’s food leading marketers, Kathie Bartley and Nicola McConnell, the Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards have been more than a year in the making. The pair developed the Awards as existing offerings don’t catering for the changing food production landscape or the needs of consumers who are more socially conscious and want fresh, local produce that is sustainably produced.

Co-creator Kathie Bartley forged her career marketing New Zealand food and wine. Her credits include: development of the original Corbans Wine and Food Challenge and the Cuisine Artisan Awards. She pioneered the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year and continues to work on Silver Fern Farms Premier Selection Awards. Nicola McConnell had a 15 year career marketing wine and food in Australia before returning home to live the Kiwi dream.

The Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards will be judged by a panel of leading food experts lead by Lauraine Jacobs, well-known for championing New Zealand food locally and abroad. Lauraine is a Past President of the New Zealand Guild of Food Writers and the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals).

Lauraine Jacobs says; “I am delighted to be involved in the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards. I know we have many exceptional producers in New Zealand and this is a huge opportunity to recognise their work and their world-class products, whether they’re straight from the farm, or value-added by clever food producers. I am confident the rewards and recognition generated for Awards winners will raise their profiles and enhance business opportunities in New Zealand and overseas.”

To be eligible for entry producers must sell their products in New Zealand, they must meet Food Safety New Zealand and Australia (FSNZA) regulations and The Fair Trading Act.

Producers are encouraged to enter Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards because:

• They will be judged in March each year when our country’s primary produce is at its best

• Producers are judged on the quality of their wares regardless of their size (large and boutique food producers can all enter)

• Sustainability of the product and its production are taken into consideration in judging

• The product’s point of difference and brand story are part of the judging

• Every product entered the business will receive a pass to attend a marketing workshop tailored for food producers in either Auckland or Christchurch in June 2017

NZ Life & Leisure Editorial Director Kate Coughlan says as a country with an international reputation for outstanding food, New Zealand's economy grows on the back of its producers. Since its launch 11 years ago, NZ Life & Leisure has been committed to helping the food industry evolve by shining a light on its finest operators.

"The passion and the prowess of our food producers never ceases to amaze me. We profile outstanding growers and producers in every issue of the magazine - and have done so for nearly 12 years - and the supply never dries up.”

“The innovation in this industry is exciting. It's for these reasons that NZ Life & Leisure is proud to be a partner in the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards. Sharing the stories of clever and hardworking producers inspires others. They are always very generous, sharing their knowledge and what they've learned along the way, and that helps everyone."

Kate says that some producers are large companies with a broad market reach and others are more boutique. No matter their size, it is the skill they've brought to developing or creating a product that is of interest to the judges. The winner of the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Award will be profiled in the May-June issue of NZ Life & Leisure.”

Kiwi foodies can take part in the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards by voting via for their favourite, Farmers’ Market, New Zealand Food Region or Specialty Food Store via www.nzfoodproducerawards.co.nz.

The judges are a distinguished panel of Kiwi experts from food, media, nutrition and design led by New Zealand’s Lauraine Jacobs.

Lauraine Jacobs – Head Judge

Internationally respected food writer, author and editor of nine cookbooks Lauraine Jacobs heads the judging panel. She is a Past President of the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) and The New Zealand Guild of Food Writers and a regular speaker and contributor on New Zealand food and wine.

Click here for the full list of judges

Kathie Bartley
Awards Director Kathie Bartley has more than 30 years experience marketing New Zealand food, wine and hospitality. Kathie was instrumental in developing the Cuisine Artisan Awards and her resume is a roll call of the country’s most loved awards including: The Corbans Wine and Food Challenge, Cuisine Restaurant of the Year, Kapiti Chefs Collection and Silver Fern Farms Premier Selection Awards.

Her brand and strategy experience includes working with New Zealand’s finest and most loved food and wine companies.Kathie brings enormous energy, an extensive network and a detailed understanding of branding to the Awards.

Nicola McConnell
Nicola McConnell is a marketing communications professional with more than 20 years specialisation in the area she loves – food and drink.

Her training as a journalist and early career on a daily paper and with Radio New Zealand set the scene for her work story telling to build brands. Nicola’s awards experience includes publicity and marketing for events as diverse as the Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine and the inaugural James Halliday Wine Companion Awards and she has judged restaurants in Australia and New Zealand.

OUTSTANDING NZ FOOD PRODUCER AWARDS KEY DATES

November 2016
Entries open

Friday 17 February 2017
Entries close

Thursday 2 March 2017
Judging, Auckland

Monday 20 March 2017
Finalists announced

Wednesday 26 April 2017
Outstanding NZ Food Producer 2017 and category winners announced

OUTSTANDING NZ FOOD PRODUCER AWARDS CATEGORIES

NZ Life & Leisure Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer 2017

is chosen from the following eight categories

Dairy Primary Product
Dairy Value-Added Product

Earth Primary Product
Earth Value-Added Product

Paddock Primary Product
Paddock Value-Added Product

Water Primary Product
Water Value-Added Product

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS

We’re also asking Kiwis to help us seek out New Zealand’s finest.

The country's favourite Farmers’ Market, Food Region and Specialty Food Store will be chosen by popular public vote.

Vote here and NZ Outstanding Farmer's Market, NZ Outstanding Food Regionand NZ Outstanding Specialty Food Store will be announced on Wednesday 26 April.

ENDS.

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