SA can claim to be home to the best cheddar cheese in the country.
Beston Global Food Company won the title of Best Cheddar Cheese in Australia and the Christian Hansen Cup for the Edwards Crossing matured cheddar cheese at the Dairy Industry Association of Australia awards.
Beston also won a total of 19 gold and silver medals in the competition, just 18 months after it re-established cheesemaking at Murray Bridge. One gold medal and five silver medals were won by Mables cream cheese – a label BFC acquired in September and shifted production from Vic to Murray Bridge. Whey powder from its Jervois factory also won a gold medal.
Beston chairman Roger Sexton said these wins reinforced the strategy of the company to focus on premium food products and create a market niche to be a “price maker” rather than “price taker”.
“To follow up from our success in the SA Dairy Awards in 2016, where we won champion cheddar, and then to take out the national award for the best cheddar cheese in Australia at these highly competitive industry awards is quite extraordinary,” Dr Sexton said.
“We believe our cheesemakers are world-class and we are excited about the future of the products being produced in our factories at Murray Bridge and Jervois.”
Dr Sexton said the award was also a tribute to the state’s dairyfarmers who had returned milk supply to the factories after Beston acquired the former United Dairy Power factories from the receiver.
Beston’s master cheesemaker Paul Connolly said it was an honour to accept the prestigious award.
“When you look at the names on the trophy, for a newcomer like us, from Murray Bridge in SA, to achieve this level of national recognition so quickly is unheard of,” he said. “It is a testament to our fantastic and hard-working team who are committed to producing high end, premium dairy products.”
Parmesan cheesemaking recently began at the Murray Bridge facility after a five-year hiatus, while a mozzarella line at Jervois is expected to be operational later this year.
Some other SA winners were Lion Dairy & Drinks – Salisbury with a gold medal for its Farmers Union Iced Coffee, as well as three silver medals for its Aldi Farmdale milk range, Dare Espresso and Feelgood Iced Coffee.
Golden North won four silver medals – two for its Jamface by Poh collaboration and two for the Good ‘N Creamy range. La Casa Del Formaggio had silver medals for its ricotta, fresh mozzarella and traditional boccincini.
B.-d. Farm Paris Creek picked up silver medals for its Just Organic milk and cream range, biodynamic organic feta, nuage blanc, and Emporium Swiss and German style quarks.
