Two southern producers shone at the Outstanding Food Producer Awards held in Auckland last night.
Gore preserve maker Robbie’s, established by Josie Robinson, won the Free-from Champion award for its Noir Garlik (Gluten-free black garlic sauce) and Otago Farmers Market won the public vote for favourite farmers’ market for the third time.
The judges, led by Lauraine Jacobs, said Robbie’s sauce was "a great finishing sauce. So many ways it could be used to add depth and flavour".
Robinson, who could not get over her earlier gold medal won last month, told Fresh then that the sauce was made during the Covid-19 lockdown when she was not even sure her business would survive.
"It took so much time and effort and procrastination and I was so afraid I’d spent too much money on ingredients."
The resulting sauce, which she made to give her gluten-free friends and family flavour back in their food, then spent six months in her garage as she was too afraid people would not like it.
"So much feeling, love and thought has gone into it. It’s a validation of what I do."
The supreme champion was the Chatham Island Food Co which also won the Seafood New Zealand Water Champion for its Pure Paua.
