Minister congratulates Food Awards winners

Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew last night presented the Supreme Award for the 2016 NZ Food Awards in Auckland, and is congratulating all of the category winners for their achievements.

“I would like to congratulate Coastal Spring Lamb and Coastal Lamb for winning the Massey University Supreme Award. They are an excellent example of an innovative and successful New Zealand company, which is now exporting to the world,” Mrs Goodhew says.

Coastal Spring Lamb and Coastal Lamb also won the NZTE Export Innovation Award, and the Chilled/Short Shelf Life Award.

“The Awards celebrate the best of what the New Zealand food industry offers to New Zealand and our global customers.

“Given the importance of the food and beverage sector to the New Zealand economy, with its contribution of $29 billion a year, it is important that New Zealand continues to be seen as a trusted supplier of safe and suitable food around the world.

“These Awards are an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of everyone involved in the business of food towards making this a reality. I congratulate all of the companies who have been recognised for excellence in their categories,” says Mrs Goodhew.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Director General, Martyn Dunne, presented two awards sponsored by MPI - the Primary Sector Products Award and the Food Safety Culture Award.

“This is the first year MPI has sponsored the food safety culture award and the winner of the 2016 award, Open Country Dairy, demonstrates the importance of having a business culture to ensure food safety never takes second place. This culture needs to be prevalent up and down the supply chain, for all food and Open Country Dairy has lead the way.

“The winner of the Primary Sector Products Award was Spring Sheep Milk Company. They have been rewarded for their innovation, forward thinking and creativity in developing and delivering successful new products to market,” Mrs Goodhew says.

Notes for media:

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), has been a major sponsor of the New Zealand Food Awards since 2008. The awards are owned and organised by Massey University. MPI is one of the strategic partners for the 2016 Awards along with FoodHQ, Countdown, and NZ Trade & Enterprise.

Spring Sheep Milk Company have recently formed a partnership with MPI for ‘Sheep – Horizon Three’, a $31.4 million, six-year Primary Growth Partnership programme.

Full information on all of the award winners can be found at www.foodawards.co.nz.