Palmerston North’s Central Energy Trust Arena will host a gala celebration dinner for the 2022 New Zealand Food Awards on October 13.
Sixty three finalists, including new brands such as House of Dumpling’s Marlborough King Salmon with Endarme & Sake, and Aotea Organic’s ‘Kingfish Salami’ are competing against former winners of the prestigious awards which have celebrated New Zealand food and beverage production since 1987.
Powered by Massey University, the awards are open to small and large food and beverage manufacturers, primary food producers, food service providers and ingredient supply companies.
The 11 category winners and overall Massey University Supreme Award winner will be announced at the gala dinner, with guests enjoying a three-course meal, drinks and entertainment. Tickets are on sale here now:
Gala Dinner — New Zealand Food Awards
The finalists for the Product Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by AsureQuality have also been announced. The award celebrates Kiwi products that have withstood the test of time. The 2022 finalists are: Foxton Fizz ‘Fizz Soda Drinks’, Goodman Fielder’s ‘Edmonds Baking Powder’ and Whittaker’s ‘Whittaker’s Peanut Slab Chocolate Bar’.
Finalist and winning products earn the New Zealand Food Award’s quality mark to highlight their technical capability, consumer acceptability, regulatory compliance, and food quality and safety to shoppers and industry.
Massey University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas says it’s fantastic to see sustainability continue to be a big focus in the finalists this year. “From food manufacturing processes, packaging and food waste, the finalists have shown a real commitment to one of the pillars of the Food Awards, and an important part of Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, – sustainability.
“The entries continue to innovate, adapt, and mitigate the impacts on the environment, in ways we’ve not seen in previous years.”
Massey’s involvement with the awards stems from the leading role the university plays at the forefront of food-related education and research in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally, Professor Thomas adds.
“Massey has set the ambitious goal of being carbon neutral by 2030, as part of our Climate Action Plan. The research and engagement activities of our academics are contributing to the development of a low-carbon society, and this is much needed in food production around the world. We have agricultural research scientists working on Massey’s farms to explore how to best reduce methane production, and all of this has an impact on how we feed our people in the future.”
Palmerston North Mayor, Grant Smith says it’s exciting to finally host the awards after COVID-19 prevented the physical event last year, which would have been a first for the city.
“Palmerston North is looking forward to hosting the 2022 New Zealand Food Awards, an event the city has partnered with for the last seven years. We’re Aotearoa’s food science and innovation hub, and we’ve secured our place on the national map as a creative and exciting city – one with a national role in the future of food innovation and sustainability.
“We have more than 3000 scientists, researchers and innovators, at Food HQ and Massey University, who are all concentrating on growing the value of New Zealand’s food chain. We can’t wait for the award attendees to explore Palmy for themselves!”
To discover who the finalists are for 2022 click here:
