The Awards – which celebrate Kiwis who harvest, grow and make food and drinks – were first held in 2017. Each year a team of specialist judges assess around 300 products, awarding the best with an Outstanding Food Producer Award.

Champion, Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded with winning products wearing medal stickers, as an independent endorsement of quality.

Whether you’re a small producer, a large producer or a grower with an established brand, if you have a product or products that you are proud of, we want to celebrate your endeavour!

MAIN CATEGORIES

All products are judged alongside ‘like’ products within the category they are entered in. Products can only be entered into ONE category.

Leefield Station Dairy

Celebrating a product made from dairy product. Examples include specialty cheese, milk, cream, gelato, ice cream, yoghurt and butter.

Seafood New Zealand Seafood

Celebrating seafood, freshwater fish, shellfish and value-added products made from them. Examples include freshwater or ocean fish, shellfish. Value-added products including preserved and prepared seafood, pâtés, spreads and prepared dishes in which the main ingredient is New Zealand caught.

Emerson’s Paddock

Celebrating products that start in the paddock. Examples include chicken, duck, beef, pork, venison, and lamb. Additionally value-added products including bacon, sausages, terrines, smoked, cured or dried meat products, pies, casseroles, curries, ready-to-heat and eat dishes.

Farro Earth

Celebrating products made from fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, grains and flours, seeds, pulses, salt flakes. Value-added includes bread, biscuits, cakes, sweets, dried fruits or herbs, sauces, preserves, honey and olive oils.

Chocolate Bean-to-Bar

In 2024 New Zealand made craft chocolate was integrated as part of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards.

Chocolate Bonbon

In 2024 New Zealand made craft chocolate was integrated as part of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards.

Free-From

Celebrating products that are made to meet specific dietary requirements. Aside from meat substitutes other products in this category must take a traditional recipe which revises its ingredients to meet a dietary requirement. For example, a friand which is traditionally made using almond meal is not gluten free as this is the usual way its made. Free from entries can be from recipes updated to be free from gluten, dairy, low in carbs or sugar. Meat-free products are also included in this category.

Dairy-Free

Celebrating products that revise traditional recipes to develop products that are made to be diary-free. Examples include ice cream made from cashew and vegan cheese.

Label & Litho Drink

Celebrating non-alcoholic drinks. Examples include fruit juice, hot chocolate, health tonics, flavoured milk drinks, herbal tea, kombucha and kefir.

OTHER CHAMPION AWARDS

Products are automatically considered for; dish Hero Ingredient Champion; FMCG Business Outstanding New Product Champion; New Zealand Food Innovation Network New Boutique Product Champion and BYD Auto New Zealand Sustainability Champion.

dish Hero Ingredient Champion

Is chosen by the dish team to celebrate a food or drink product for its exceptional versatility and ability to enhance the flavour and enjoyment of dishes to delight diners and the cook!

New Zealand Food Innovation Network New Boutique Product Champion

Awarded to a new product from a boutique producer launched in the 18 months prior to the Awards judging held in February each year.

FMCG Business Outstanding New Product

Recognises a product available in supermarkets launched in the 18 months prior to the Awards judging held in February each year.

BYD Auto Outstanding Sustainability

Recognises the food or drink producer championing sustainability. This award is chosen by specialist sustainability judges.

Tuesday 11 November 2025

Entries open.

Friday 20 February 2026

Online entries close.

Friday 27 February 2026

Shelf stable samples to be sent to our administration office in Onehunga, Auckland by this date.

Thursday 5 March 2026

Samples of fresh/perishable/limited shelf life to be sent to our administration office in Onehunga, Auckland by 12 midday on this date.

Friday 6 and Saturday 7 March 2026

Judging 

From Monday 6 April 2026

Feedback to entrants

Tuesday 14 April 2026

2026 Medal winners announced

Tuesday 19 May 2026

2026 Champions Announced at Champions Party, The Glasshouse, Morningside, Auckland.

Stage 1 - Enter your products

Once you've applied via our online entry form, you'll need to send your products to Auckland ahead of judging where all the products will be assessed by the judging team. The closing date for entries is in early February each year and medals are announced in March.

Stage 2 - The judging stage

Judges assess products in panels selected from seven main categories and award Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals. Products that don’t reach the required quality benchmark score do not receive an award.

Stage 3 – Medal announcement and feedback

In early March all entrants are send results and feedback. Medals are announced four weeks prior to the Champions Party.

Stage 4 - Champions announcement

One producer creating benchmark goods of exceptional quality will be named Supreme Champion of Outstanding Food Producer Awards. The Supreme Champion will be chosen from category Champions. There are also other Outstanding Champion Awards and Kiwis’ Favourite Awards for Favourite NZ Food Producer and Favourite Farmers’ Market.

Category Champions are featured in dish issue 121 on sale from late May 2025 and through the Outstanding Food Awards marketing and publicity campaign.

Stage 5 – Winner Events

Between June and September Winner Events are hosted throughout New Zealand where award-winning products are showcased.

The judges allocate marks based on the following criteria.

Product: Aroma, visual appearance, taste and flavour, texture, consistency and quality. Total marks are 90%.

Business Sustainability: Environmental and Social sustainable business practices make up 10% of each products final mark.

The judges are led by author and champion of iNew Zealand producers Lauraine Jacobs. Lauraine leads more than 30 leading New Zealand food and drink experts including; food writers, chefs and food judges.

There is also a panel of specialist sustainability judges, Emily King founder of Spira and Fiona Stephenson, Marketing Manager Sustainable Business Network.

Food producers throughout New Zealand are encouraged to submit their goods for consideration with the assurance that judging is objective and transparent and conducted by an independent panel of food experts.

These awards:

• Recognise producers of all sizes

• Value the importance of authenticity

• Endorse primary produce as well as added-value products

• Recognise and reward innovation and sustainability

1. Brand exposure and awareness

These Awards are supported by media partners dish, Coast and FMCG Business. Awards organisers, Marvellous Marketing, are experienced publicists and promote winners, supported by their website, monthly newsletter, Outstanding Eats, and social media.

2. A money can’t buy quality endorsement

The Awards provide a quality endorsement to be used in marketing your product. Digital medals and medal stickers are available for use by all entrants whose products reach judging benchmarks.

3. Marketing opportunity

All winners have strong content for social media and publicity

4. Authoritative judging process

Judging is conducted by an independent and experienced panel lead by Lauraine Jacobs. Judging is conducted in a double-blind manner

5. Exposure to New Zealand’s leading food experts and influencers

Entrants build awareness and recognition of their products among New Zealand’s leading food experts

6. Network and meet other Outstanding Food Producers

At the Champions Party, winner dinners or cooking classes

7. Winner Events

We host Winner events throughout New Zealand where award-winning products are showcased.

All entrants receive feedback on their entry. Entrants find the judges comments very useful for marketing purposes. Even if you don't win, getting feedback provides invaluable knowledge that may help you grow, improve and develop your offering, or reassess certain aspects of your product.

Simply complete the entry form before 5pm Friday 20 February 2026.