The Sweet Taste Of Southern Success

MEDIA RELEASE JULY 2011
The Sweet Taste Of Southern Success

Winners of the Taste Farmers Markets Awards have been announced Farmers markets around the country have been tried, tested and tasted, and the Otago Farmers Market has been announced the Taste Farmers Market of the Year.

Competing against more than 40 markets across the country, the Otago Farmers Market proved to be the peoples choice, with 2466 votes – almost double that of the runner up. More than 7000 people from across the country voted for their favourite market.

John More, Manager of the Otago Farmers Market Trust, says he is thrilled that his market won the supreme award.

“Theres a perception that farmers markets are only for the wealthy and wellheeled,

however this is not the case in Dunedin. The Trust dreamed of making locally grown food available to all, at a reasonable price, and it has become a reality,” he says.

“We are very grateful to all the locals who come along every Saturday to support their local producers, and would like to say a big thank you for voting for us. The Trust has spent a lot of time and effort making this market the best it can be, which is why winning the Taste Farmers Market of the Year title means so much.”

The Otago Farmers Market insists that vendors grow and sell their own products and produce and once made headlines for refusing entry to a vendor who was selling other peoples produce.

Category winners from markets around the country, as chosen by the judges, included such delights as Kingsmeades hand-crafted cow and ewe cheeses, which are made on a family farm in Wairarapa; and Cressy Farm free-range pork from Canterbury. These and other winning producers are all profiled in the July issue of Taste magazine.

The panel of judges included celebrity chef Al Brown, 2010 MasterChef winner Brett McGregor, Taste editor Suzanne Dale, chef Jonny Schwass, Farmers Market Association Chairman Chris Fortune and Two Spoons blogger Zo Zhou.

Suzanne Dale says that the Taste Farmers Market Awards were a huge success. “The judges were amazed by the public response, and by the vast array of quality local goods that are available. Its fantastic to see so many small businesses across New Zealand producing such delicious artisan foods and contributing to the success of these farmers markets.”

Find all the details from the Taste Farmers Market Awards in the July issue of Taste Magazine, on sale from July 4th.

Category winners at the Taste Farmers Market Awards 2011: Taste Farmers Market of the Year

Otago Farmers Market Farmers Market Manager of the Year

Trixie Allen, Manager of Tauranga Farmers Market Producer from the Dairy

Kingsmeade Cheese: Wairarapa Farmers Market Producer on the Paddock

Cressy Farm Pork: Christchurch Farmers Market Producer in the Paddock

Grown Produce: Lyttelton, Christchurch, Oxford, Ohoka, Waipara Valley and Darfield Farmers Markets Producer from the Sea/River

Moko Freshwater Eel: Lyttelton, Ohoka, Mt Pleasant and Oxford Farmers Markets Producer from the Kitchen Bench

Rowandale Homestead: Lyttelton and Riccarton Farmers Markets
ENDS

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