Dominating SA Dairy Championship

Close to 700 dairy products from almost 70 manufacturers competed for the honours in the 2008 SA Dairy Championships presented by Agri-Expo. A total of 75 products were capped as SA Champions but only 15 received the much coveted Qualité Award for excellence.

Parmalat took the prestigious Qualité awards in the following categories:

• Semi-hard cheese - Maximum age 6 months for Parmalat Bon Blanc;
  
• Matured Gouda - Maximum age 12 months for Simonsberg Matured Gouda;
  
• Cheese spread - Melrose Cheese Spread; and
  
• Innovative butter - Bonnita Unsalted Butter.

Parmalat's Dairy Championship first class winners were:

• Baby Gouda
  
• Matured Gouda
  
• Extra Matured Cheddar
  
• Vintage cheddar
  
• Feta with condiments
  
• Blue or White Veined Cheese
  
• Cream Cheese with condiments
  
• Semi-hard Cheese
  
• Cheese Spread
  
• Flavoured Butter
  
• Innovative Butter
  
• Ice Cream with condiments
  
• Low Fat Cultured Milk

This is the fifth consecutive year that Parmalat has secured the most awards at this event which serves as benchmark for South African dairy quality. The second biggest winners in the SA Dairy Championship categories only secured eight first prizes each.

“The SA Dairy Championships stimulate innovation in the dairy industry and encourage dairy technologists to continuously improve dairy products to the benefit of the consumer,” says Kobus Mulder, dairy manager of Agri-Expo. “Winning a Qualité Award is a prestigious achievement and such a product deserves the attention of consumers.”