Woolies maintains its quality position

Woolworths' Steam Cuisine, a range of chilled ready meals, took top honours, while Woolworths Fruips, a yoghurt concept with a whipped fruit topping, came third.

Food Review editor Brenda Neall says: "This product (Steam Cuisine) involved significant technical work in the development of the functional packaging and the recipe combinations.

"Putting together these macro nutrients in semi-cooked and raw format is a notable achievement as regards shelf life and realising a perfectly cooked, succulent meal at the end of the cooking period. The quality, healthiness and convenience of these meals are outstanding."

Woolworths received the awards at a banquet in Stellenbosch, part of the biennial congress organised by the South African Association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST), of which Food Review is the official journal.

The competition runner up was another steam/microwave concept, I&J's Steam Fresh product.