Parmalat : Awards

PARMALAT DOMINATES SA DAIRY CHAMPIONSHIPS - 4 April 2008

Parmalat SA racked up another first-class performance at the 2008 SA Dairy Championship Awards held in Stellenbosch last night. Against stiff competition, particularly from smaller dairies, Parmalat secured four prestigious Qualité awards and no less than 13 first prizes in the SA Dairy Championships.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Parmalat has secured the most awards at this event which serves as benchmark for South African dairy quality. (The second biggest winners in the SA Dairy Championship categories only secured eight first prizes each.)

Close to 700 dairy products from almost 70 manufacturers competed for the honours in the 2008 SA Dairy Championships presented by Agri-Expo. A total of 75 products were capped as SA Champions but only 15 received the much coveted Qualité Award for excellence.

The SA Dairy Championships stimulate innovation in the dairy industry and encourage dairy technologists to continuously improve dairy products to the benefit of the consumer,” says Kobus Mulder, dairy manager of Agri-Expo.  “Winning a Qualité Award is a prestigious achievement and such a product deserves the attention of consumers.”

Parmalat took the prestigious Qualité awards in the following categories:

  • Semi-hard cheese – Maximum age 6 months for Parmalat Bon Blanc;
  • Matured Gouda – Maximum age 12 months for Simonsberg Matured Gouda;
  • Cheese spread for Melrose Cheese Spread, and
  • Innovative butter for Bonnita Unsalted Butter.

Parmalat’s Dairy Championship first class winners were:

  • Baby Gouda
  • Matured Gouda
  • Extra Matured Cheddar
  • Vintage cheddar
  • Feta with condiments
  • Blue or White Veined Cheese
  • Cream Cheese with condiments
  • Semi-hard Cheese
  • Cheese Spread
  • Flavoured Butter
  • Innovative Butter
  • Ice Cream with condiments
  • Low Fat Cultured Milk

PARMALAT SINGLE COLLECTOR OF MOST PRIZES AT AGRI EXPO AWARDS - 26 April 2007

Parmalat SA (Pty) Ltd dominated the annual SA Dairy Championship Awards on Wednesday evening, 25 April walking away as the single collector of the greatest amount of awards. Winning entries in the Dairy Championships serve as a benchmark for dairy quality in South Africa.

In the awards category of Dairy Champions Parmalat collected 17 first prizes while taking five prestigious Qualité awards. Charl du Plessis, Manager Research and Development & Quality said that he was delighted with Parmalat’s performance in the Qualité and SA Dairy Championship Awards.  A total of 683 dairy products by a record of 70 manufacturers were entered this year and six new manufacturers took part in the competition.

Parmalat took the prestigious Qualité Awards for the following categories:

  1. Low Fat Smooth Cottage Cheese without added foodstuffs
  2. Semi-Hard Cheese (Parmalat Chesso)
  3. Mature Cheddar 6 to 9 months
  4. Mature Gouda (Parmalat/Simonsberg)
  5. Vanilla Dairy Ice Cream (Aylesbury Vanilla)

 

 The Dairy Championships first class winners were:

  1. Baby Gouda
  2. Matured Gouda
  3. Mild Cheddar
  4. Matured Cheddar
  5. Extra Matured Cheddar
  6. Vintage Cheddar
  7. Feta with added foodstuffs
  8. Blue or white veined cheese
  9. Semi-Hard Cheese
  10. Full Fat Cheese Spread
  11. Full Fat Processed Cheese
  12. Fat Free Smooth Cottage Cheese
  13. Low Fat Smooth Cottage Cheese
  14. Low Fat Yoghurt with any food additive except fruit and flavourants
  15. Vanilla Dairy Ice Cream
  16. Dairy Ice Cream with added foodstuffs
  17. Salted Butter
The cheese category attracted the most entries with 429 cheeses entered, followed by the yoghurt category (148). Entries were evaluated according to appearance, colour, texture and flavour.
 
In the category Feta with added food stuffs Parmalat took all the honours – first, second and third prizes. Overall Parmalat took 11 second prizes in the SA Dairy Championships.
 

Simonsberg Cheesemaker, Mario Jumat, was also one of four recipients of a French Cheesemaking Fellowship which enables him to improve his knowledge and skills in Burgundy in France on an intensive three-week course. He will be departing to France in June.

Awards at SA Dairy Championships in 2006

 
Parmalat’s products are the recipients of numerous awards.  The SA Dairy Championships are held annually and have become the country’s leading event where dairy manufacturers can benchmark their products and improve quality.
 
Since its beginnings in 1895 when eight butter samples were judged, the SA Dairy Championships has grown to attract 648 entries in 2006. 
 
Parmalat took top honours winning the 2006 Dairy Product of the Year for its matured Gouda which is manufactured for a large chain group customer.  This was the fourth time Parmalat has won the award since 2001 which testifies to its exceptional commitment to quality.
 
Parmalat won more awards than any entrant in 2006.  Of the 71 entries to be crowned SA Champions, 19 were Parmalat products, up from 16 the previous year.  (SA Champions are winners in their class). 
 
Five of the 15 entries to receive Qualité Awards were Parmalat products, up from three the previous year. (Qualité Awards are presented to products that score a certain number of points, and are the highest accolade for dairy products of outstanding quality.  The SA Dairy Product of the Year is selected from the Qualité Award winners).
 
The following products received the Qualité Awards: 
  • Matured Gouda (manufactured for a large chain group customer)
  • Parmalat low fat chunky cottage cheese
  • Parmalat yumchums strawberry flavoured milk
  • Aylesbury Tin Roof ice cream
  • Aylesbury Blueberry Cheesecake ice cream
 The following products were crowned SA Champions:
  • Mature Cheddar – 6 to 9 months
  • Extra Matured Cheddar – 12 months
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Pizza Mozzarella
  • Reduced Salt Butter
  • Mild Cheddar – maximum 4 months
  • Aylesbury Litchi and Black Current
  • Gelato Cherry Almond
  • Aylesbury Tin Roof Royalty 
  • Aylesbury Blueberry Cheesecake
  • Low fat smooth cottage cheese – plain
  • Low fat chunky cottage cheese – plain
  • Parmalat Phetta
  • Bon Blanc Tomato and Oregano
  • Parmalat yumchums strawberry flavoured milk
  • Simonsberg Black Pepper Feta
  • Simonsberg Creamy Blue
  • Simonsberg Salmon Cream Cheese
  • Melrose Bacon Cheese spread