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2010 New Zealand
Ice Cream Awards
 (20
May 2010) The 14th New Zealand Ice Cream Awards were
announced
in
Tauranga on Thursday, 20th May 2010.
Who said that things that were good for you could never
taste good ? The winner of the 2010 New Zealand Ice Cream Supreme Award disproves
this theory. For the
first time in it's 14 year history, the winner is a blend of low fat yoghurt
and ice cream which is 97% fat free.
Tip Top Creamy Yoghurt Ice Cream Strawberry made by Fonterra
Brands (Tip Top) Ltd had all the flavour of fresh strawberries and cream
with all the healthiness of low fat. The yoghurt and ice cream blend was described
by the judges as very smooth and creamy in texture with a natural strawberry
flavour. Not only great to taste, but good for you to eat !!
In its 83rd year, the New Zealand Ice Cream Manufacturers' Association (Inc.)
managed to retain the same level of interest in the Awards despite the economic
climate over the past year. Entry levels were as high as last year (228 entries)
coming from a range of large corporate companies as well as small owner operators
of retail outlets.
The main judging of the New Zealand Ice Cream Awards was undertaken during the
last week of April at the Massey University campus, Food Technology Department
in Albany, Auckland. The Chief Judge Kay McMath and her team
of five judges took two full days to judge the large number of entries split
over the 11 categories. Largest categories were those for Premium Ice Cream and
Sorbet and Gelato, and it is encouraging to see the smaller manufacturers endorsing
the Awards with
multiple entries.
The judges used international judging criteria with each ice cream being awarded
the maximum possible marks of 100 and from this points were deducted for various
imperfections in each of 4 areas:
 Appearance
defects
Body
and texture
Flavour
defects
Melting
defects
As well as winning the Supreme Award, Fonterra Brands (Tip Top) Ltd also won
the Best in Category for Standard Ice Cream with Inclusions,
with their Tip Top Boysenberry Ripple Ice Cream, and
the Kids Choice Category.
The children from View Road School at Waiuku took their role of judges of the
Kids Choice Category very seriously. Each of the kids had to earn their place
on the judging panel by describing "why I would make a good ice cream judge".
Hard to separate their efforts - 7 boys and 7 girls pitted their taste buds on
16 different ice creams entered into the Kids Choice Category. Flavours ranged
from pineapple lump gelato, juicy fruit chewing gum ice cream with gum drops,
to jaffa and orange ice cream. The children were earnest in their criticism of
the entries with both ends of the scale being used (Yuk to Yum)
and not often in between. The boys had their favourites as did the girls, however
the entry with universal kids appeal was awarded to Tip Top's Goody
Goody Gum Drops as the winner of the Kids Choice Category.
Creativity was alive and well in the Open Creative entries. These entries are
created by chefs, technologists and students - for those ice creams, gelatos
and sorbets not available in the retail market. Some of the more unusual ice
cream flavours included roasted black sesame and chilli; basil in a custard base;
Irish Coffee; and avocado and pistachio nuts. The only Gold Award of the Open
Creative Ice Cream Category was a Christmas Pudding flavour ice cream made by
Kiwi Ice Cream Company Ltd.
The Open Creative Category for Gelato and Sorbet was a close contest in creativity
between cardamon and orange gelato with plum compote pieces created by Takapuna
Beach Café & Store, and a yoghurt and lemon curd gelato. The latter product made
by Jamie Mew of Valentinos just pipped the former products to
be the overall Best in Category winner of the Open Creative Category.
The Premium Ice Cream category was the other class with a large number of entries
(46). These ice creams, with their higher fat content, are more indulgent and
can carry flavours more intensely than their Standard counterparts. Gold Awards
were only presented to Mövenpick Swiss Chocolate, and Mövenpick Maple Walnut
ice cream made by Emerald Foods Ltd, with the Best in Category Premium
Ice Cream being awarded to Mint Choc Magic made
by Wendy's Supa Sundaes.
The New Packaging Category (for new packaging introduced in the last 12 months)
included packaging, shippers, outers and product containers. The joint Best
in Category for New Packaging had real "kid appeal" and was awarded
to Kiwi Ice Cream Company Ltd for their ice cream birthday cakes
with Barbie decorations for girls and Pirates for boys.
 A
full list of the 2010 Awards is here.
Photos
of the 2010 Awards presentations and winners here.
 Back to
the Awards page |
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