Cream of the crop recognised at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards
Hosted by Dairy Australia and the Royal Agriculture Societies, the 25th Australian Grand Dairy Awards were held in Melbourne last week.
The annual awards are designed to acknowledge excellence and innovation across 18 dairy product classes. Judged by a panel of Australia’s food and dairy experts, the winners represented each Australian state across categories such as cheese, ice cream, milk, yoghurt, butter and gelato.
Victoria’s Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese Oak Blue claimed the prestigious Grand Champion Cheese title and Queensland’s artisan gelato shop Milani Minus Eight Degrees was crowned as Grand Champion Dairy, for its Peanut Caramel Gelato.
Owners Barry Charlton and Cheryl Hulls from Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheeses said the award was a welcome surprise.
“We are honoured to have been acknowledged on this occasion. Our Oak Blue is a crowd favourite among our customers, and this award is a testament to the hard work of the whole team to bring the best cheese to Victoria and Australia,” Charlton said.
Dairy Australia Head of Marketing Glenys Zucco said the Australian Grand Dairy Awards is a longstanding legacy of Dairy Australia.
“For 25 years, Dairy Australia has recognised the best of the best in Australian dairy. This year, we are pleased to have introduced a new partnership with the Royal Agricultural Societies to further strengthen the delivery of awards and ensure they remain the premier dairy awards within Australia,” Zucco said.
“We continue to be impressed by the quality of the entries year on year. This year was no exception.”
The awards saw 380 entrants across 18 categories judged on flavour, aroma, texture, body and visual appearance to determine the finest products. The award-winning products will be allowed to include the blue and gold medal on pack.
2024 Australian Grand Dairy Award winners
The full list of champions can be found below:
| 2024 Champion Class | Product name | State |
| Grand Champion Dairy Product | Milani Minus Eight Degrees Peanut Caramel Gelato | Qld |
| Grand Champion Cheese | Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese Oak Blue | Vic |
| Flavoured Dairy Drink | Sharma’s Kitchen Milk Badam | NSW |
| Flavoured Cheese | Riverina Dairy Basil Infused Haloumi | NSW |
| Modified Milk | Norco Lactose Free Full Cream Milk | NSW |
| Washed/Mixed Rind Cheese | Woombye Blackall Gold | Qld |
| Fresh Unripened Cheese | La Casa Del Formaggio Haloumi | SA |
| White Mould Cheese | Coal River Farm Ashed Brie | Tas |
| Semi Hard/Eye Cheese | Saputo Dairy Australia, Heidi Farm Tilsit | Tas |
| Cheddar Cheese | TasFoods Limited, Pyengana Traditional Cloth Matured Cheddar | Tas |
| Cheddar Cheese | TasFoods Limited, Pyengana Traditional Cloth Matured Cheddar |
Tas |
| Butter, Flavoured Butter or Butter Blend | Fonterra Brands Australia, Duck River Premium Butter Tasmania | Tas |
| Hard Cheese | Floridia Pecorino Pepato | Vic |
| Blue Cheese | Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese Oak Blue | Vic |
| Goat’s/Sheep’s/Buffalo Milk Cheese | Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese Riverine Blue | Vic |
| Cream | Bulla Crème Fraîche | Vic |
| Natural Yoghurt | Mundella Greek Natural Yoghurt | WA |
| Flavoured Yoghurt | Mundella Greek Honey Yoghurt | WA |
| Milk | Lactalis Australia - Harvey Fresh, Farmhouse Gold Unhomogenised Milk | WA |
| Ice Cream | The Standard Market Company, Lindt 70% Chocolate Ice Cream |
Qld |
| Champion Dairy | Gelato Milani Minus Eight Degrees Peanut Caramel Gelato | Qld |
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