Dairy producer Bega Cheese has been announced as a champion at the 2020 Australian Grand Dairy Awards, held in Melbourne Thursday night.
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This year, the Heritage Reserve Vintage Cheddar came out as cream of the crop, beating out strong competition.
Bega Cheese's vintage cheddar is best known for its slightly softer crumbly texture and strong fruity flavours.
"It is significant to be amongst Australian Grand Dairy Awards champions this year. For us it is recognition that we have made progress in our attempts to do justice to the quality milk that we receive," said Philip Tatzenko, cheese quality supervisor at Bega Cheese.
The Australian Grand Dairy Awards are the premier dairy awards within the Australian dairy industry - celebrating and promoting the world class quality and excellence of Australia's top cheeses, ice creams, milks, butter, gelato and more.
Organised by Dairy Australia, these awards recognise the 'best of the best' - each of the 400 products entered this year are already gold awards winners in state level competitions.
"Winning at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards is the highest accolade in the dairy industry and is testament to our farmers and producers, whose hard work and dedication to their craft inspires some of the highest quality dairy products in the world," said Alexandra Kury, Australian Grand Dairy Awards convener, Dairy Australia.
"Congratulations to Bega Cheese on their wonderful achievement this year."
In addition to the 19 category champions, two Grand Champions were awarded for being the overall highest scoring dairy product and cheese on the judging days.
The winners were both Victorian producers - Berry's Creek Cheese for its Oak Blue; and Fonterra Cobden for supermarket staple Western Star Salted Butter.
Victorian producers claimed the highest number of Champion titles, taking out seven of the 19 categories, while Western Australia followed with four, NSW with three, South Australia and Queensland with two and finally, Tasmania with one.
The Australian Grand Dairy Awards also opened voting to the Australian public with a People's Choice Award. South Australian producer, Beston Pure Foods, was recognised as people's pick with its Edwards Crossing Vintage Cheddar Black Wax proving most popular.
