Product Awards

Artisan – Sponsored by Cuisine

Showcasing distinctive food and beverage products that demonstrate exceptional craftmanship, ingredient integrity and excellence in execution.  

 Entries should reflect a strong commitment to premium quality and deliver a memorable product experience.  

 This category is open to producers whose philosophy centres on the careful selection of high-quality ingredients and the application of skilled craft or specialised production methods to create premium products with strong identity and character.   

Examples include: artisan cheese, boutique chocolates, condiments and beverages – products positioned in the high added-value segment of the market; ingredients specific to artisanal products.  

Beverage - Sponsored by Massey University

Recognises innovation and excellence in commercially produced beverage products across alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories.  

 Entries in this category should demonstrate strong product innovation and execution, including formulation, processing and overall quality, and highlight the features that make the product distinctive within this category.  

 Examples include: wine, beer, spirits, 0% alcoholic drinks, water, flavoured milks, energy drinks, smoothies, carbonated beverages, juices, juice concentrates, teas, kombucha, ginger beer, kefir.  

Chilled / Frozen (Coolchain) – Sponsored by Woolworths

Celebrates high quality food products and ingredients that depend on chilled or frozen storage to maintain safety, quality and shelf-life.Entries in this category demonstrate strong product performance and clear consumer benefits, within a temperature-controlled supply chain. Evidence should show stability, consistent quality retention, and preservation of product characteristics throughout shelf life.  

Examples include: yoghurts, cheeses, dips, pouch soups, meats and deli products, dressed poultry, ready to eat meals, ice creams, pastries, frozen desserts, prepared fruits/ vegetables, ingredients. 

Health and Wellbeing - Sponsored by Alpha Group Ltd

Showcases food and beverage products that deliver clearly defined health or wellbeing benefits, and deliver excellent product quality and consumer appeal.  

Entries must comply with Standard 1.2.7 (Nutrition, Health and Related Claims) of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and should demonstrate credible formulation and clear consumer benefit.  

 Examples include: supplemented foods, macro specific products such as high-protein, low-fat, low carb, and alternative foods such as vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free.  

Manufacturing and Foodservice Ingredient  - Sponsored by Massey University

Recognises ingredients and intermediate products that deliver a clear functional, sensorial or commercial benefit to food manufacturers or food service operators.  

 Entries should demonstrate clear functional value and suitability for commercial or industrial application, including performance and contribution to the quality of the finished product. Products entered should be intended for use in the preparation or manufacture of other food products.   

 Ingredients primarily developed for direct retail sale to consumers are not eligible for this category. (please refer to Artisan category if applicable).   

 Entries will be assessed in the context of their intended application. Where applicable, entrants must provide either a sample of the product in which the ingredient is used, or clear preparation instructions to enable evaluation of performance in a finished product.  

 Examples include: flavouring, functional or texture modifying ingredients, extracts, isolates, sauces, stocks, spice blends, fats, dairy products, premixes and bulk food service products.  

Pantry - Sponsored by Woolworths

Highlights high quality shelf-stable food products intended for direct consumer purchase and use.  

 Entries should demonstrate strong product quality and consistent performance throughout their shelf life, while delivering clear value or benefits to consumers through flavour, convenience, or overall product experience.  

 This category is open to finished food products that can safely be stored at ambient temperature for the duration of their shelf-life and are packaged for retail sale to end consumers.  

 Examples include: sauces, soups, spreads, condiments, cereals, bread and bakery mixes, energy bars, potato chips, cured meats, meal preparation kits, ingredients for ambient-stable food products.  

Primary Sector – Sponsored by New Zealand Food Safety

Celebrates innovation and value creation withing New Zealand’s primary food and beverage production sectors.  

 Entries should demonstrate how the product or development adds value within the primary sector, creating new opportunities, improved quality or enhanced capability.  

 This category is open to producers, researchers, and manufacturers who enhance primary products through the development of new varieties, cultivars or breeds; the creation of innovative products derived from primary outputs; or the application of novel methods and technologies in harvesting, processing or packaging.  

 Examples include: meats, poultry, seafood, dairy, horticultural produce, grains and honey.  

Product Lifetime Achievement - Sponsored by AsureQuality

Awarded to a product that has withstood the test of time and is still on shelves as proof of the impact of its initial innovation. *Note: Finalists for this category are nominated by a panel of selected judges so products may not be entered into this award directly.

Technical Innovation – Sponsored by NZ Food Innovation Network

Recognises food and beverage products or ingredients where technical advancement plays an important role in enhancing product performance or enables new capabilities within the category.  

 Entries should demonstrate how the application of science, technology or process innovation contributes to improved product performance, functionality, sustainability, efficiency or consumer benefit.  

 This category is open to new products that demonstrate innovation in raw materials, formulation, processing, preservation or packaging. Entries should provide evidence of technical problem-solving or the thoughtful application of technology that contributes to improved product outcomes.  

 Examples include: novel ingredient systems, alternative protein technologies, innovative bioprocessing or fermentation techniques, advanced preservation methods, new plant varieties developed for functional performance, packaging solutions offering substantial technical or sustainability advantages.  

Supreme Winner - Sponsored by Massey University 

Awarded to a winner from one of the following product award categories: Artisan, Beverage, Chilled / Frozen, Ingredient and Food Service, Health and Wellbeing, Pantry, Primary Sector, Technical Innovation.