Hot chicken for the heartland wins Food Awards

Media release Embargoed until 10.30pm Monday 20 October 2008

Hot chicken for the heartland wins Massey University Food Awards

From Wanaka to Whitianga, from Ranfurly to Raglan, busy families in heartland New Zealand can now enjoy healthy hot-roasted takeaway chicken – thanks to the innovation of this year’s Massey Food Awards supreme winner.

Tegel Foods’ Deluxe Roasted Chicken, which releases the family favourite from the confines of supermarkets and makes it available in convenience stores, won the Premier Award in this year’s Massey Food Awards, which recognise the country’s most cutting-edge new food and drinks.

Cost and health issues previously meant hot roasted chicken could be sold only through large supermarkets, so much of small-town New Zealand – including many popular holiday spots – missed out on this tasty meal-in-a-run.

But over four years Tegel perfected a process for cooking, packaging and sealing Deluxe Roasted chicken that allows smaller stores throughout the country to sell New Zealand’s favourite takeaway with confidence. And it did this while ensuring it remained a low fat chicken that contained no allergens such as wheat, soy or dairy products and tastes great.

As well as winning the Premier Award, Deluxe Roasted Chicken won the Food Safety Award, for a product that assures customer safety and provides public confidences.

“Tegel overcame great technical hurdles to deliver a safe and attractive food product that would appeal to the mass market,” said the judges. “Audited every three months Tegel cleared a series of food safety hurdles to achieve this superior convenience product that has nutritional benefits, looks good and tastes delicious.”

In common with many other prize winners, Tegel Deluxe Roasted Chicken focuses strongly on convenience and health, putting food technologists at the centre of efforts to improve the diet of everyday New Zealanders.

Chief judge Allyson Gofton said the entries showed that food technologists were “the home cooks of today”.

“The reality is that in a world that runs at an ever-increasing pace, food preparation takes a back seat,” she said. “We need food technologists and marketers to produce foods with a conscience.”

3six9 dressings from Functional Whole Foods New Zealand, which won the Massey University Enterprise Award was another winner focused on convenience and health.

Functional Whole Foods New Zealand hired an organic Japanese chef with a brief to produce tasty, versatile food dressings, based on flax seed – which is rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids.

The Miso, Mustard and Tamari dressings are the first functional food dressings in New Zealand and Australia, use all natural ingredients, are gluten-free, have no added sugar and can deliver an individual’s daily intake of Omegas 3, 6 and 9.

“These functional food dressings taste great, are healthy and are available in delicious flavours,” said the judges. “The packaging is easy to use and the design is cutting edge.”

Other health and convenience-focused winners included Hubbard’s Berry Berry Good Cereal, which won the Heart Foundation Tick programme Healthier Choice Award. The cereal was designed specifically to provide a healthier, higher fibre children’s breakfast cereal with Heart Foundation Tick approval.

Also meeting the nutrition standards of the Heart Foundation Tick programme Cookie Time Ltd, won the Markem-Imaje Bakery Products Award for its Smart Cookie, a healthy cookie alternative designed for school tuck shops.

Tick national manager Ian Mathieson says that there has been strong growth in the Tick programme this year, with more than 100 new products gaining Tick approval in the last six months.

“It’s encouraging to see manufacturers and food technologists respond to increasing consumer demand for healthier choices with the Tick,” he adds. “It’s more important than ever to encourage manufacturers to put the health of Kiwi kids first.”

New Zealand Natural, which won the BOC Dairy or Dairy Replacement Foods Award for its Zilch! no added sugar, Heart Foundation Tick approved frozen desserts; Green Monkey Ltd, which won the Crop and Food Research Fruit and Vegetable Products Award and the FMCG Magazine Meal Solutions Award for its Green Monkey Premium Organic Baby Food; and NZ Bakels Ltd, which won the Progressive Food for Life Award for its Gluten Free Health Baking Ingredients.

New Zealand Natural also won the Massey University Export Award with its Kiwi Pavlova Ice-Cream, developed specifically for export markets that said they wanted an identifiably New Zealand flavour.

The award winners are announced on Monday 20 October at a food industry gala dinner in Auckland.

ENDS

Editors’ Notes:

Massey University Food Award Winners 2008

Massey University Premier Award – Tegel Foods, Tegel Deluxe Roasted Chicken
A healthy hot-roasted takeaway chicken that has been precooked and packaged and is available in Four Squares nationwide.
(Also awarded The New Zealand Food Safety Authority Award, Rapid Labels Convenience Food Award, Massey University Meat Seafood and Poultry Products Award, New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology Research & Development)

Massey University Enterprise Award – Functional Whole Foods New Zealand Ltd, 3six9 Dressings
Tasty, flavoursome, healthy flaxseed dressings, rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9. They contain all natural ingredients with no added sugar, are gluten free and available in three great flavours.
(Also Highly Commended)

Massey University Export Award – New Zealand Natural, Kiwi Pavlova Ice Cream
A distinctly kiwi ice cream, with crunchy meringue pieces expertly mixed into the smooth kiwi flavour.

Markem-Imaje Bakery Products Award – Cookie Time Ltd, Smart Cookie
Designed for the school market, it is the first sweet biscuit to in NZ to achieve the Heart Foundation Tick, keeping kids healthy and satisfied.

O-I Beverage Products Award – The Greenstone Drinks Company Ltd, Teza Juiced Teas
Batch brewed teas with a genuine, delicious tea flavour and subtle fruity undertones. Available in four flavours – Lemon & Mandarin, Velvetberry, Mango & Ginger, Peach &Passionflower – they look and taste delicious.

Massey University Cereal and Bread Products Award – Nutrition Fit 2004 Ltd, Em’s Power Cookies & Bars
A tasty, healthy snack with good honest cereal flavours – the perfect pick-me-up for athletes.

Massey University Cultured or Fermented Food Products Award – Fonterra Brands (NZ) Ltd, Fresh n Fruity Yoghurt Fruit Mousses
A light and fruity dessert in the “guilt free” category with tantalising, fruity flavours.

BOC Dairy or Dairy Replacement Foods Award – Zilch! No Added Sugar Frozen Desserts
A range of rich, tasty frozen desserts in a assortment of flavours and varieties including frozen yoghurt, sorbet and ice cream. All with positive health considerations giving diabetics an opportunity to eat a dessert.

Massey University Food Service Award – Fonterra Brands (NZ) Ltd, Anchor Cooking Cream
A full bodied cream that does not split when cooking with other acidic ingredients and cuts down preparation times in kitchens.

Crop and Food Research Fruit and Vegetable Products Award – Green Monkey Ltd, Premium Organic Baby Food.
100% organic baby food, available in a combination of pureed flavours. With unique, convenient flat packaging and requiring no special heating, it is perfect for mum’s on the go and is an excellent way to introduce fruits into your baby’s diet.
(Also awarded FMCG Magazine Meal Solutions Award, A.J. Park Packaging Design Award)

Foodtech Packtech Gourmet Foods Award – Levante Technologies Ltd, Tio Pablo Chocolate Azteca
An authentic Mexican hot chocolate, blended with a tantalising mix of spices and peppers, leaving a tasty surprise at the end.

Massey University Industrial Products Award – Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, Milk Protein Concentrate
Milk protein concentrate that is sold overseas.

Foodtech Packtech Snacks and Confectionary Award – Smartfoods Ltd, Vogel’s Mixed Grain Pita Crisps
A healthy and tasty snack using multigrains and embodying strong New Zealand flavours, for example Marlborough Sea Salt with Rosemary.

Massey University Speciality Products Award – Frucor Beverage Ltd, Mizone Rapid
An effective hydration sports drink formulated especially for athletes. Has a functional pack aligned with a grip and cap ensuring you are always holding the drink in the right place while exercising.

Progressive Food for Life Award – NZ Bakels Ltd, Gluten Free Health Baking Ingredients
A multi functional range of baking products making home baking for Coeliacs much easier and taste good.

Highly Commended – Tru2U Gourmet Flavoured Flaxseed Oils.
Delicious oils introducing Omega 3 into the home in a flavoursome way.

Heart Foundation Tick Programme Healthier Choice Award – Hubbards Foods Limited, Hubbards Berry Berry Good Cereal
A tasty children’s novelty breakfast cereal with significantly less sugar and sodium than competitors. Has strong appeal to children– the strawberries turn the milk pink!

ENDS

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