As the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards celebrated 25 years, a gelato was named Supreme Boutique Champion – the first time a gelato has taken out one of the top accolades.
Auckland artisan gelato maker Little ‘Lato was named Formula Foods Supreme Boutique Champion for their Speculoos Gelato as well as collecting the Sensient Technologies Champion Gelato Award.
An awards rule change in 2020 allowed gelato and sorbet to compete alongside ice cream for the two supreme awards, making Little ‘Lato the first gelato maker to be named Supreme Champion. Judges were full of praise for the Little ‘Lato Speculoos Gelato saying “Deliciousness by the spoonful. Wonderful innovation. We loved the creamy texture…the balanced spice notes lifted the overall experience, enhanced its eatability, making it totally morish.”
Tip Top Ice Cream Company Kāpiti Fig & Manuka Honey was recognised with the other supreme award, being named Americold Supreme Champion – one of seven trophies Tip Top was awarded. The judges raved about this product saying: “A superstar in the constellation of premium ice creams.
“A clear standout with its innovative use of figs in a rich creamy manuka honey ice cream to bring together two Kiwi favourites.”
For the first time the awards have recognised a novelty ice cream with an out-and-out New Zealand legend being recognised. The inaugural GS Hall Novelty Ice Cream Award was made to the Tip Top Boysenberry Trumpet. The judges said “Wow! Iconic product. Such good acid – sweet balance. Eats really well and is beautifully made.”
Every year the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards has a special category to encourage ice cream and gelato makers to experiment with different ingredients; this year it was ‘Best of Chocolate’.
Chief judge Jackie Matthews noted there were many stand out entries in this category. Takapuna Beach Café Double Chocolate Gelato received the DKSH/Belcolade Champion Best of Chocolate Award. The judges who tasted this standout said: “From the moment the spoon meets the palate this screams high quality ice cream with intense cocoa tastes. The appeal of this product to both consumers and chocolate purists with be enormous – bravo!”
Sorbet was a stand-out this year, with 14 gold medals awarded in the category and Gellicious Gelato Black Doris Plum Sorbet awarded the NZ Life & Leisure; Champion Sorbet. This is the fourth awards in a row which Gellicious Gelato has been recognised as the champion gelato. Judges described this sorbet as
“Beautifully balanced with deep rich fruitiness offset by the carefully moderated acidity. Consumers will love its immediately obvious Black Doris pluminess and the way the intense flavours linger until the final mouthful.”
One of the favourite awards is always the Pacific Flavours & Ingredients Champion Kids’ Choice Award, which this year was judged by year five and six students from West Harbour School. They chose Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Tip Top Cookies & Cream as their favourite ice cream, giving it the Pacific Flavours & Ingredients Champion Kids’ Choice Award.
Other big NZ Ice Cream and Gelato Awards trophy winners were Much Moore Ice Cream Co which received three trophies; New Zealand Creameries Deep South and PURE New Zealand Ice Cream from Wanaka.
The announcement of 14 NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards Category Champions and two Supreme Champions was made at a gala awards dinner in Auckland. The trophies came after a record number of gold medals were awarded. Judges awarded 189 medals – an exceptional 61 gold medals were presented; 66 silver medals were awarded and for the first time in its 25-year history the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards conferred 62 bronze medals.
Chief Judge Jackie Matthews said the 20-strong judging panel which assessed nearly 300 of Aotearoa’s ice creams, gelatos and sorbets in July were delighted with the high quality of entries. After being unable to judge last year, she says it was positive to see the industry in such good heart, with some outstanding entries.
The Awards, run by the NZ Ice Cream Association, have been held since 1997 and are celebrating 25 years recognising this country’s finest and sharing the results with Kiwi ice cream lovers. NZ Ice Cream Association president, Karl Tiefenbacher is pleased with this year’s results, saying after all the challenges of the past couple of years it’s heartening to see the quality of locally made ice cream and gelato is better than ever.
NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2022 Trophies
Supreme Awards
Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Kāpiti Fig & Manuka Honey
Americold Supreme Champion
Little ‘Lato, Speculoos Gelato
Formula Foods; Supreme Boutique Champion
Category Awards
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Wonders Vanilla Ice Cream
Fonterra New Zealand; Champion Standard Vanilla Ice Cream Award
NZ Creameries, Deep South Licorice
PACT Packaging; Champion Standard Ice Cream Award
Takapuna Beach Café, Double Chocolate Gelato
DKSH & Belcolade; Champion Best of Chocolate Award
Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Kāpiti Vanilla Bean
IMCD & Givaudan; Champion Premium Vanilla Ice Cream Award
Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Kāpiti Fig & Manuka Honey
Chelsea Sugar; Champion Premium Ice Cream Award
Little ‘Lato, Speculoos Gelato
Sensient Technologies; Champion Gelato Award
Gellicious Gelato, Black Doris Plum Sorbet
NZ Life & Leisure; Champion Sorbet
Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Kāpiti Halo-Halo from Boracay
The Food Bowl; Open Creative Award
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Mango and Coconut Gelato
Roquette; Champion Dairy-Free Award
Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Tip Top Frozen Yoghurt
NZ Ice Cream Association; Champion Frozen Yoghurt
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Chocolate Cookies and Fudge Overload Ice Cream
Hawkins Watts; New to Market Award
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Private Label Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Tetra Pak; Champion Export Ice Cream Award
Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Tip Top Boysenberry Trumpet
GS Hall; Novelty Ice Cream Award\
Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Tip Top Cookies & Cream
Pacific Flavours & Ingredients; Champion Kids’ Choice Award
