Announcing the CHAMPIONS! 2026 Outstanding Food Producer Awards
As the media partner of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, the dish team are delighted to share this year's Champions!
For ten years, the Outstanding Food Producer Awards have celebrated quality, innovation and talent across New Zealand’s high-calibre community of food and drink producers. The awards have evolved into a multi-day judging process, where a team of specialist judges, headed by renowned chef Peter Gordon, and featuring dish editor Sarah Tuck, and food editor Claire Aldous, assess over 430 products, awarding the best with an Outstanding Food Producer Award.
Then, last night, we gathered with medal winners, judges and sponsors from the NZ foodie community for a gorgeous Champions Party at the Glasshouse in Auckland, where the top Champions in each category were announced and celebrated.
Explore the Champions and their tasting notes below:
LEEFIELD STATION SUPREME CHAMPION AND FARRO EARTH CHAMPION
Monty and Sons | Radiatori
Head judge Peter Gordon says, “Monty & Sons Radiatori has a delicious nuttiness, is easily digested, and comes with a fantastic light ‘chew’. To really understand the pasta, the judges tried it initially with a light drizzle of olive oil and salt, and then simply boiled with nothing added. Most of the pasta’s character comes from the Wairarapa Grains Collective durum wheat, which is grown with regenerative farming practices. The various pasta shapes are terrific, and the branding is spot on, fun and informative. Our favourite shape of the four entries was their Radiatori. It holds its shape perfectly and has a great bite, which expands beautifully when cooked, it holds lots of sauce. Love the mouthfeel and texture. We can taste the locally grown wheat.”
DISH HERO INGREDIENT CHAMPION
Fernglen Farm | Labneh
Wairarapa-based Fernglen Sheep Farm — the first dairy farm in New Zealand to gain SPCA Animal Welfare Certification — has begun their cheese journey with this standout middle eastern delicacy. Their labneh is extremely versatile and is a great substitute for cream cheese, elevating any dish with its creaminess, tang and subtle salty flavour.
Sarah and Claire had this to say, “From the first taste, we knew this was a Champion winner. Rich and velvety, with that classic tang and the perfect balance of salt. A product we could easily see becoming a staple in our fridges.”
LEEFIELD STATION DAIRY CHAMPION
Dreamview Creamery | Natural Probiotic Yoghurt with Boysenberry Compote
“A pleasing swirl of boysenberry...well-balanced sugar and tartness...” Dreamview Creamery is a coastal Raglan farm that was transformed by the Hill family from traditional dairy into a sustainable, small-batch direct-to-consumer milk and yoghurt business.
EMERSON’S PADDOCK CHAMPION
Conscious Valley | Lamb Shoulder Rack
“Succulent and tender with fantastic flavour. Judges wanted to pick it up and gnaw from the bone!” Conscious Valley is no stranger to the Outstanding Food Producer Awards after receiving the inaugural dish Hero Ingredient Champion Award in 2025 and the Emerging Business Champion in 2025.
SEAFOOD NEW ZEALAND SEAFOOD CHAMPION
Southern Clams | Littleneck Clams
“A lovely clam! Very enjoyable and we can’t fault this product.” Southern Clams is a pioneer in sustainable aquaculture, harvesting wild Littleneck clams from Dunedin’s pristine coastal waters using a bespoke, low-impact system that has earned them international sustainability certifications and ensures clams reach seafood lovers in optimum condition.
LABEL & LITHO DRINKS CHAMPION
Mon’s Flavours | Golden Honey
Mon’s Flavors founder Monisha Sharma drew upon her Indian heritage to create a blend of rewarewa honey, zesty lemon and organic spices, which, when added to hot water or warmed milk, judges said was an “Outstanding” drink with “Great length and complexity”.
DAIRY-FREE CHAMPION
Raglan Food Co | Vanilla Bean Coconut Yoghurt
From a Raglan kitchen bench in 2014, to one of New Zealand’s most well-known dairy-free yoghurt companies, Raglan Food Co delivers an excellent Vanilla Bean Coconut Yoghurt, described as “Awesome...a Rarotongan breakfast on a spoon!”
FREE-FROM CHAMPION
Eat My Cake | Coconut Chocolate Brownie
Eat My Cake’s mission is to make every occasion a little sweeter with their handcrafted baked goods. This Free-From Champion is a gluten-free take on a global favourite. High praise from the judges who said, “Fudgy, chewy and delicious”.
CHOCOLATE BEAN-TO-BAR CHAMPION
Baron Hasselhoff’s | Butter Boom! Burnt Butter & Cinnamon Chocolate Bar
“Judges loved the appearance. Complex and delicious lactic flavours.” Husband-and-wife team Clayton McErlane, founder and chief chocolate disciple, and Erin Todd run the chocolate maker with a ‘Dangerously Good’ ethos, pushing boundaries by creating great flavour combos.
CHOCOLATE BONBON CHAMPION
Mind Your Temper | Miso Lemon Hazelnut Bonbon
This is Mind Your Temper’s third year in a row as an OFPA Champion! “Incredible concept... Original and unique. Balanced flavour and texture. Really has the 'wow' factor!”. Created by Christchurch’s Nel Vicencio, Mind Your Temper’s hand-painted, plant-based bonbons are continuously evolving with Nel regularly crafting new flavour combos.
BYD AUTO NEW ZEALAND SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION
Hōhepa Hawkes Bay
Sustainability judges Fiona Stephenson and Emily King said Hōhepa’s record of sustainable business practice was hard to beat. Hōhepa Hawke’s Bay has a long-standing commitment to organic, biodynamic and regenerative farming, producing quality food while providing meaningful employment for people with intellectual disabilities.
FMCG BUSINESS NEW PRODUCT CHAMPION
Barker’s of Geraldine | Raspberry & Lemonade Slushie (Freeze and Squeeze)
“A really refreshing slushie. Acid and sugar beautifully balanced”. Iconic New Zealand food producer and award-winning manufacturer Barker’s of Geraldine is celebrated for their ‘paddock-to-plate’ supply chain and commitment to quality fruit and vegetable preserves.
OUTSTANDING BOUTIQUE NEW PRODUCT CHAMPION
Pauline’s Pasticceria | Savoury Tart Shell
Pauline’s was a passion project that evolved into a full business. Still, all her products are baked fresh to order. These tart shells can be used as is — just add your favourite fillings and serve — or can be filled and baked further. Judges praised this “excellent product” with “great flavour”.
COAST KIWIS FAVOURITE NZ FOOD PRODUCER
The Kutai Guy
While The Kutai Guy won the popular vote amongst New Zealanders, this Northland mussel producer was a popular choice with judges too; The Kutai Guy was also awarded one Gold and three Silver Medals for their smoked mussels.
COAST KIWIS FAVOURITE FARMERS’ MARKET
Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market
The Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market opened in 2000 and is one of the oldest and largest Farmers’ Markets in New Zealand. Every Sunday, they offer a complete shopping experience; a place where the regions finest growers and artisan producers supply their wares so you can see, touch, smell and taste the goods, before buying directly from the source.
Keep an eye out in upcoming issues of dish to learn more about this wonderful line-up of hardworking, innovative award winners!
Learn more about the Outstanding Food Producer awards here.
latest issue:
127
In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.