An Ayrshire Mozzarella, made especially for Woolworths by RFG Foods, was crowned the Dairy Product of the Year at the prestigious South African Dairy Awards on Thursday 25 March 2023 at Eensgezind outside Durbanville. This year’s event marked a remarkable milestone, celebrating the 190th edition of the SA Dairy Championships, the biggest and oldest dairy competition in Africa.

The winning Woolworths 600 g Ayrshire Mozzarella was one of 929 dairy products from 71 producers that competed for the attention of a team of 80 judges. From the high number of entries, 106 products were named SA Champions, standing out as winners in each championships class. This year, a total of 23 products were honoured with the Qualité mark of excellence (see the full list of crème de la crème below).

“For a product to be chosen as Product of the Year in a competition of this nature is the dream of every dairy producer,” says dairy expert and chief judge Alan Fourie. “The 600 g Woolworths Ayrshire Mozzarella is an exceptional pizza mozzarella and worthy of this accolade. It is a firm and smooth cheese with a slightly creamy appearance that grates well and melts perfectly. Its creamy, soft, and caramelised flavour is out of the books.” 

Robert Sudell, Operations Manager of RFG Foods, says their team is delighted to be recognised for their signature line. “Mozzarella has been the core foundation of RFG Foods for over 25 years,” says Sudell. “Our small, artisanal cheese team, under the guidance of cheesemaker Kerwick Boonzaaier, are true experts. They use a very manual process, cutting cheese by hand, supported by Italian ingredients and equipment, to create mozzarella that is on par with the best in the world.” 

"We are proud of our collaboration with Woolworths, a business that values quality as much as we do. RFG Foods would like to congratulate Agri-Expo on the 190th SA Dairy Championships and their continued support of innovation and excellence in the industry.”

190 Years: A Legacy of Excellence 

The dairy industry has been an important pillar of Agri-Expo since its inception in 1831 as the Cape of Good Hope Agricultural Society, according to Breyton Milford, General Manager of Agri-Expo. “We are fortunate to have been the host of the SA Dairy Championships since 1834,” says Milford. “However, it is important to acknowledge the effective collaboration within the dairy industry in South Africa. We appreciate the input and guidance from industry leaders to maintain a high standard and continuously adapt to the needs of the industry,” says Milford. 

Dairy Roll of Honour: Agri-Expo honours top dairy specialist

At the 2023 SA Dairy Awards, Agri-Expo honoured dairy specialist Suzy O’Regan for her exceptional and dynamic leadership in the dairy industry.

O’Regan, Product Development Manager for Woolworths Food, is the second woman whose name is inscribed on the list of industry stalwarts on the Agri-Expo Roll of Honour. She has been a judge at the SA Dairy Championships for over 20 years and she is a member of the Super Jury of internationally recognised experts at the World Cheese Awards.

“The decision to develop the Agri-Expo Roll of Honour in 1992 was to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of industry leaders to our dairy projects,” says Milford.  “Only nine individuals received this award in 31 years, which indicates the extremely high requirements of the nominations.”

O’Regan has been nominated for her admirable contribution to the growth, development, and long-term success of the SA Dairy Championships. “Her commitment to excellence, her extensive knowledge, and her willingness to share her expertise have significantly advanced the industry's standards, fostered innovation, and inspired a lasting legacy for future generations to build upon,” says Milford. “She is more than deserving of this accolade.”

The future: “Change can be positive”

“The South African dairy industry needs to focus on innovation and adapt continuously to stay relevant in a highly competitive commercial and trading environment.” This, according to Dr Tertius Cilliers, a judge at the SA Dairy Championships and CEO of Synercore, an investment company focusing on innovation and total solutions in the food industry in Southern Africa.

“Despite the challenges we face within the dairy industry and in general as South Africans, this event is a reminder that change can be positive, ” says Cilliers. “The SA Dairy Championships is one of the annual highlights of the dairy industry calendar. Inspiring this year, were the various new producers, innovative product entries, and first-time judges who participated; it was fantastic to witness the growth in what has become a world-class event!”

Cilliers believes Agri-Expo and the entrants honoured the legacy of this historic competition. “We wish to congratulate the General Manager of Agri-Expo, Breyton Milford, and his team for hosting a marvellous event, he says. “As Synercore, we are privileged to be the exclusive Platinum partner for the fifth consecutive year.”

According to Milford, this year’s high number of entries and excellent results testify to an innovative industry and healthy competition between bigger manufacturers and smaller entrepreneurs. “Congratulations to Fair Cape Dairies for winning five Qualité awards; Lactalis South Africa, who took home four Qualité’s; De Pekelaar who won three; Polar Ice Cream Company who were awarded two Qualité’s; as well as all the other winners.”

Agri-Expo would like to thank the Platinum partner Synercore as well as all the other partners of the SA Dairy Championships for their commitment to the development of the dairy industry, namely diamond partners Chr.Hansen, IMCD SA, and DSM; gold partners The Western Cape Department of Agriculture and Woolworths,;silver partners Condio and Pick n Pay; bronze partners Orchem, Mane, and AECI Food & Beverage; and media partner The Dairy Mail.

2023 QUALITÉ AWARD WINNERS:

FAIR CAPE DAIRIES (5)

• The Menu Vanilla Flavoured Custard
• The Menu Chocolate Mousse
• Woolworths Low Fat Yoghurt with Salted Caramel & Chocolate coated Honeycomb
• Vital Medium Fat Strawberry Yoghurt
• Royale Full Cream Yoghurt with Peaches & Cream Flavoured

LACTALIS SOUTH AFRICA (4)

• Melrose Glass Jar Spread Cheddar Flavour
• Woolworths Mature Cheddar 20 months
• Woolworths Mature Gouda 10 months (Black)
• Président Gouda Mature 6 months

DE PEKELAAR (3)

• Boerenkaas Matured Gouda
• Boerenkaas Mature Extra Hard
• Boerenkaas Semi Hard Black Pepper

POLAR ICE CREAM COMPANY (2)

• Polar Signature Ice Cream Salted Caramel - Caramel Ice Cream 
• Polar Dairy Ice Cream - Blueberry Cheesecake Buttermilk Frozen Yoghurt

BABYLONSTOREN 

• Halloumi Skewer

COOKHOUSE CREAMERY 

• Pizza Mozzarella 

DAIRY CORPORATION 

• Royale Full Cream Yoghurt - Mixed Fruit and Custard 

FAIRFIELD DAIRY

• First Choice Full Cream Peach Yoghurt

FAIRVIEW CHEESE COMPANY

• Woolworths Blue Pearl

KLEIN RIVER CHEESE

• Danbo

MEZE FOODS

• Braailoumi Cajun  

RFG FOODS

• Woolworths Ayrshire Mozzarella 600g

UNDERBERG DAIRY

• Pizza Mozzarella

For more information, visit www.cheesesa.co.za, call 021 863 1599 / 083 440 1628 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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