There were a record 307 entries for this year's New Zealand Ice Cream Awards!
From these, 72 Silver Awards, 38 Gold Awards, and 12 Best In Category Awards
were
presented.
Two Supreme Awards were awarded
to the best overall ice creams out of 9 different categories, one for large manufacturers,
and one for smaller, boutique producers.
The Supreme Award for a Large Manufacturer this year went to Tip
Top Boysenberry Ripple made by Tip Top.
This ice cream also won the Best in Category for Standard Ice Cream.
Supreme Award for a Boutique Manufacturer this year was awarded
to an
entry in the Gelato category. The winning entry was Licorice
Gelatomade by Takapuna Beach
Café and Store.
Takapuna Beach Café and Store has now won the Supreme Award three
years in a row -
last
year they won it for their Salted Caramel Gelato.
This
year the
new "Best of" category, introduced lastyear, featured
a favourite ice cream flavour, BEST OF Cookies & Cream.
Tip Top Cookies & Cream made by Tip Top was
the winner of this Award.
Tip Top also won the Best in Categories for:
· the Standard Ice Cream Category with
their Tip
Top Boysenberry Ripple Ice Cream - a repeat winner from 2010, 2011
and 2012
· the Standard Vanilla Ice Cream Category
with
their Tip
Top Vanilla Ice Cream
· the Low Fat Category with their Tip
Top
Creamy Yoghurt Ice Cream Strawberry for the second year running.
Another new Award, introduced for the first time last year, was for the "Best
New to Market", where any product new to retail in the last 12 months
was eligible.
Rum & Raisin Gelato made
by Zuzus Gelato Ltd won this award.
Twelve children from Point England School in Auckland judged
and
determined
the winner of the Kids Choice Category (more
here).
Much Moore Wonders Favourite Trio made by Kiwi
Ice Cream Company Ltd won the Kids Choice Award.
The Export Category was won by Emerald Foods Ltd,
with their Private Label Japanese Vanilla.
The main judging of the New Zealand Ice Cream Awards was undertaken during the
second week of May at the Massey University campus, Food Technology Department
in Albany, Auckland. The Chief Judge, Kay McMath and her team
of four judges took two full days to judge the large number of entries split
over the 12 categories.
Judging involved awarding points for a number of key attributes in different
properties. Appearance was worth 10 points, Body and Texture - 30 points, Flavour
- 50 points and Melting properties - 10 points. Gold Awards were given to entries
with more than 95 points, Silver Awards to those between 90 and 95 points.