Australian dairy winners announced

Hard cheeses, non-bovine products and innovative flavours have been celebrated at the 2025 Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show.

The winners were revealed at an awards night in Sydney, with over 15 champion awards announced for categories including champion butter and cream, champion specialty cheese and champion flavoured milk. The event experienced its highest medal rating to date, with over 91% of products receiving a gold, silver or bronze medal.

Congratulating the 2025 exhibitors on a fantastic show, Chair of Judges Tiffany Beer noted that Australian dairy producers have been focusing on techniques to create better textures and well-balanced flavour profiles.

“This year’s results demonstrate that Australian dairy producers are putting quality first, with many utilising the feedback provided by our judges in 2024 and taking the time to refine their products and make the small tweaks that have delivered incredible outcomes,” Beer said.

“As a result, Australian consumers are getting world-class local dairy products right at their doorstep — they are the real winners here!”

According to Beer, hard cheeses were a standout class for the judges this year and there was a huge increase in the quality of white mould cheeses available on the market. Non-bovine classes also demonstrated a notable improvement on previous years, with 90% of sheep, goat and camel milk products receiving a medal and almost half being awarded a gold medal.

“Now is the time to be curious about non-bovine products and more specifically camel milk products,” Beer said.

“For the first time, we have a gold-medal Marinated Persian Style Camel Milk Feta on our Perpetual Australian Cheeseboard, which is an impressive feat! It really is a marvellous product and a great way to taste a camel milk product for the first time.”

Another major trend is improved development and balance of complex flavours, particularly of Asian and Indian influence.

“Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in flavoured desserts and different flavours in ice cream and gelato such as matcha, green tea and black sesame, but what was notable this year was the exploration and maturation of balanced flavour profiles such as Yuzu and sweet potato,” Beer said.

This year, Champion Dessert was won by Shuddh Dairy for its Rasmalai, while well-known gelato producer Cow & The Moon took home Champion low/reduced Ice Cream or Gelato with a White Chocolate Yuzu gelato.

To view a list of the winners, click here.

Image credit: iStock.com/licsiren