You won some significant trophies and awards in 2023
We certainly did! And it and was so exciting and such an honour to be there in person to receive them.
What does it take to make an award-winning cheese
Taranaki is one of the oldest dairying regions where rich pastures grow under mount Taranaki and on the surrounding coastal plains.
We have been making cheese at Bridge Street in Eltham for over 100 years now. In the 1950’s we began making blue cheese producing New Zealand’s first blue cheeses. We are still using traditional methods, hand crafting every batch.
These skills have been passed down from cheese maker to cheese maker, however it’s also the magic of the ingredients that form these beautiful rich cheeses. We have been growing (on site) the same strains of Eltham Blue mould since 1951 and it’s this special ingredient that gives our blue cheese its unique flavour profile and indulgent texture.
But more importantly, it’s the farmers, the land, the animals, and the milk they produce plus the craft of our cheese team that produce our range of delicious cheeses. It truly is a collaborative effort!
What does it means to win an ICDA award/Trophy?
For the team at Bridge St, Eltham winning an award or trophy at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards is very significant!
Every year we enter our cheese in local competitions and although our cheeses are the most awarded in NZ, receiving just one award from the most prestigious competition in the world (ICDA) is an absolute privilege!
What it means for the company and the cheese team is that the cheeses we produce can stand on the world stage alongside some of the best in the world.
Has winning an award help increase awareness and sales.
Yes absolutely. We have been letting our farmer suppliers, customers and the public know via articles, social media, and advertising how well we performed at ICDA in 2023 to create awareness.
Our export team are using these big international wins to raise awareness and boost sales of our specialty cheese brands overseas.
They are placing the award on the outer packaging of the Kapiti Kikorangi Triple Cream Blue that we supply into some of our export markets.
What are Fonterra's plans for this year's awards.
This year Bridge Street Eltham are planning to submit several entries into the competition from our varied range of specialty cheeses. I have again been invited as a judge, which I am thoroughly pleased by.
I am planning to attend the event again as both judge and participant working alongside will work alongside our Fonterra Europe team at the trade event, networking and talking to customers.
