After tasting their way through 380 of Australia’s finest dairy products, judges of the Australian Grand Dairy Awards have announced the 2024 finalists across 18 categories.
Now in its 25th year, the awards celebrate the best of Australian dairy, recognising quality, excellence and the skills of local Australian producers.
All products, which qualified by winning gold medals at state competitions, were judged on flavour, aroma, texture, body and appearance.
Finalists in the 18 categories represented each Australian state with 35 producers of cheese, ice-cream, milk, yoghurts, butter, gelatos and more.
Victoria and Tasmania each had seven finalists across the cheese categories including blue cheese, white mould and semi-hard, and South Australia took a clean sweep of the unripened cheese category.
Queensland lead the way in the frozen categories with five out of the six ice-cream and gelati finalists being produced in the sunshine state.
Last year’s winning ice-cream producer The Standard Market Company is guaranteed the Champion trophy, taking out all three finalist spots for 2024.
Producers from Western Australia proved popular in the yogurt category and New South Wales claimed six of the nine finalists spots in the milk categories.
Leading the panel of judges, technical experts and flavour specialists, was dairy educator and chief judge Russell Smith.
“As we have come to expect the quality of products presented for judging was exceptional. Many old favourites have re-established their place among the best of the best, with new products also impressing,” said Smith
