The benchmark of New Zealand culinary excellence has been set with 327 medal winners for the 10th year of OFPA. A formidable panel of more than 25 leading industry professionals evaluated more than 430 products, with 75% of entries earning a medal – with 35% achieving the coveted Gold Medal status.

The Outstanding Food Producer Awards 2025 set new benchmarks - a record 405 entries resulted in another record - 313 medals bestowed upon New Zealand’s finest food and non-alcoholic drink producers. Head Judge Lauraine Jacobs led 27 judges who reviewed, sniffed and tasted all the entries.

Over 250 NZ-made products have been recognised for their quality, receiving medals in the 2024 Outstanding Food Producer Awards. The tally was 137 Gold; 76 silver and 48 bronze from a remarkable 355 entries from 122 Kiwi food and drink producers.

Marlborough’s Pinoli Premium Pine Nuts was been recognised for its tiny flavour-filled nuts and its risky journey to become the southern hemisphere’s only pine nut producer when it was named Supreme Champion at the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards 2023.

Producers spanning Aotearoa from the Chatham Islands to Akaroa and from Southland to Northland were among the Champions in this year’s Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards, with Chatham Island Food Co named Supreme Champion 2022.

Producers from Raglan to Wanaka were among the Champions in the 2021 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards. Wairarapa’s Homegrown Farm Fresh Meats Homegrown Farm Fresh Meats Mixed Box - Beef & Lamb was awarded Supreme Champion 2021.

Organic farmers, Bostock Brothers, were named Supreme Champion for their Organic Whole Chicken. The judges raved about the product saying, ‘Outstanding flavour, succulent and delicious.’ Twenty-five judges and assessED a record 225 food and drink entries in this year’s Awards.

Wellington’s Wooden Spoon Boutique Freezery has taken top honours in the third annual Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards being named Supreme Champion. Twenty food professionals assessed more than 180 food and drinks and 129 medal winners have been chosen.

The 2018 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards judged 186 products from 100 producers, assessing aroma, taste, quality, innovation, pack design, sustainability and brand story. Products are judged across four categories; Earth, Paddock, Water and Dairy.

Absolute Angus Porterhouse is the Supreme Winner of the inaugural Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards 2017. Winners were announced after expert food judges tasted more than 150 products from 82 growers, farmers and crafted producers in early March 2017.

150 NZ-made chocolates from 31 chocolate makers were judged in Auckland in October 2022.. New Wairarapa chocolatier Johnty Tatham, aka Lucid Chocolatier is NZ Chocolate Awards 2022 Supreme Winner with Lucid Chocolatier 68% Port.

A new Mahurangi chocolate maker has swept away the competition taking the top gong, at this year’s New Zealand Chocolate Awards. Foundry Chocolate was named NZ Chocolate Awards 2020 Supreme Winner for its Foundry Chocolate Anamalai Estate, India 70%.

Hogarth Chocolate, Buttered Toast & Sea Salt is Supreme Winner of the 2018 NZ Chocolate Awards. Judges described this chocolate as ‘irresistible…and flawless’. The 2018 Awards bestowed 48 medals - 15 Gold, 17 Silver and 16 Bronze Medals.

Following judging of 125 chocolates, the best of 2017 have been named. Two Supreme Winners are among 70 chocolates receiving accolades. Of the 125 chocolate products judged seven received Best in Class and 69 received Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals.