Five Wānaka food producers have been celebrated at the prestigious Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards this year. 

The annual awards celebrate the best of New Zealand-made food, assessed by epicurious judges, and the standard this year has set a whole new bar, head judge Lauraine Jacobs said.

“2022 has been the most exciting year for the awards to date,” she said. “Each year has seen not only growth in the number of entries, but the quality of the food products continues to rise and rise in every category.”

Winners span the length of the country, from Northland to Southland, but Wānaka punched above its weight with a series of medals - including a gold award - earned by local producers.

Wānaka’s preserves and chutneys stood out to the judges with fruit bottlers Agustines of Central, Kitchen Window Central Otago and Taste of the Alps all receiving awards.

Fruit bottlers from Wānaka stood out with three different producers receiving awards, including Agustines of Central, pictured, which received a prestigious gold award for its rhubarb in rosé preserve. PHOTO: Ray Tiddy Photography

Agustines of Central picked up a gold medal for its rhubarb in rosé preserve. Golds are reserved for products which judges believe have “actually reached perfection,” Lauraine said.

Owner Gus Hayden is a local chef and his growing business, which he started in 2014, had a serendipitous start.

See also: ‘A modern twist on summer bounty’.

The company also earned a silver for its central black doris jam and its pickled asparagus, and Kitchen Window Central Otago followed suit, also receiving three awards.

The Hāwea-based company, which also offers catering services, is owned by Anna Cameron, who impressed the judges with her apple and date chutney (silver), pear and fig chutney (bronze) and apricot and chilli (bronze).

Judges also singled out the company for its sustainability efforts, which include composting scraps, a jar-return scheme, a solar and gas powered kitchen, as well as for its “strong community involvement”.

Local mainstay Taste of the Alps, owned by Tineke-Maree Sutton, received two silver medals for its black doris plum and horseradish relish and its bread and butter pickle, while an ice cream producer and honey grower also added to the lengthy local medal haul.

PURE New Zealand Ice Cream scooped three awards, with bronzes for its lime sorbet and dark belgian chocolate sorbet, and a silver for its damson plum sorbet, which judges said “could be the perfect sorbet”.

Branch Creek Honey, which was launched in 2020 by then 20-year-old Jess Curtis and her grandfather on their fifth-generation Cardrona farm, received a silver award for its creamed honey.

The company was created after Jess saw an opportunity to turn her and her grandfather’s shared love of beekeeping into a business. 

See also: ‘Beekeeper buzzing over national recognition’.

More than 300 producers from around the country entered the awards and more than 70 percent received an award, which reflects the high quality of entries, Lauraine said.

Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards organisers Kathie Bartley and Nicola McConnell encouraged Kiwi food lovers to seek out the winning produce, which they’ll recognise by their medal stickers.

“These medals are consumers’ guarantee that product is harvested, grown or made in Aotearoa and it’s been assessed by experts who recognise it as one of the best,” Kathie said.

Gold medal winners are in consideration for the ‘Champions’ awards which will be announced at the Champions Party in Auckland in late June.