DAIRY producers have an opportunity to showcase their products, with entries for the Ekka’s Cheese and Dairy Produce Show and Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbet Competition opening today.
International judge Russell Smith will once again lead a panel of expert judges, made up of some of Australia’s most respected and experienced food industry professionals, as they taste their way through the nation’s finest cheeses, dairy products and ice creams.
New this year in the Cheese and Dairy Produce Show is the addition of ‘other non-bovine milk products’ to classes 51 to 57, previously only open to buffalo, goat and sheep milk. This is due to the increasing popularity of products being made by milks other than from dairy cows, such as camel milk.
Those who win a medal in the prestigious competitions will have the opportunity for their standout cheese and ice cream products to be served at the iconic Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) and popular Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show’s (RQFWS) Grape Grazing by Night event, along with being featured on the Royal International Convention Centre menus.
RQFWS chief judge Russell Smith said he’s looking forward to judging the high quality products entered in both the Cheese and Dairy Produce Show and Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbet Competition.
“The standard of ice cream, gelato and sorbets in this competition are by far the best I taste anywhere in Australia,” he said.
“The best producers of cheese and dairy products across Australia are always keen to enter and have their products assessed by the professional panel of judges.”
More than 610 of the best dairy products in the nation were tasted by the judges last year, an increase on the previous year, confirming the Cheese and Dairy Produce Show and Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbet Competition as some of the premier dairy competitions in the country.
The Dairy Produce Show is one of the RNA’s oldest competitions, stemming back to the first ever Royal Queensland Show in 1876. Entries close on March 31, with judging taking place from May 22 and the awards presentation to be held on May 26.
