NZ salmon again impresses in global taste awards

Media release itqi – 1
Monday 16 May

NZ salmon again impresses in global taste awards

New Zealand King Salmon continues to impress in the highly competitive world of international culinary taste awards.

All six of the Nelson-based company’s products submitted for the annual International Taste & Quality Institute (iTQi) Superior Taste Awards have gained either the top three-star or two-star rating.

The company farms salmon in the Marlborough Sounds and in an email from the organisers of the prestigious awards has been congratulated for its excellent evaluation results.

It’s the second year in a row that New Zealand King Salmon has achieved outstanding results at the Brussels event. Last year its products received three three-star awards and three two-star awards.

Three stars are awarded to “exceptional” products that achieve more than 90 per cent marks. Two stars signify “remarkable” products that have scored between 80 and 90 per cent marks.

This year New Zealand King Salmon’s Regal Hot Smoked Natural and Regal Hot Smoked Mixed Peppers & Spices products each received three stars.

Southern Ocean Cold Smoked Sliced Salmon, Seasmoke Cold Smoked Sliced Salmon each received a two star rating, along with Regal salmon caviar and Regal fresh fillets (details below).

New Zealand King Salmon CEO Grant Rosewarne says the company’s success again demonstrates the taste and texture appeal of its Chinook or King salmon products.

“Here are some of the world’s best chefs saying our King salmon has superior taste. While we are a small producer of salmon by world standards, we are still the world’s largest producer of King salmon compared to the more common Atlantic salmon.”

Mr Rosewarne says that when he visited the event website and saw all the global logos on the awarded products page, it brought home to him the prestigious company New Zealand King Salmon keeps.

“You see the logos of some of the world’s biggest brands, products that have year after year impressed consumers and experts alike with their taste and texture. It’s an honour to see the New Zealand King Salmon logo among them.”

The company is awaiting full evaluation reports from the awards organisers complete with comments from the judges. But in an email informing the company of its success iTQi managing partner Christian De Bauw says “your company and your team should be particularly proud to market products that are so valued for their superior taste”.

The full list of winning New Zealand King Salmon products is:
• Regal Hot Smoked Salmon - Natural - 3 Stars
• Regal Hot Smoked Salmon - Mixed Peppers and Spices - 3 Stars
• Southern Ocean Cold Smoked Sliced Salmon - 2 Stars
• Seasmoke Cold Smoked Sliced Salmon - 2 Stars
• Regal Salmon Caviar - 2 Stars
• Regal Fresh Salmon Fillet - 2 Stars

New Zealand King Salmon has been invited to attend the Superior Taste Award Ceremony to be held on May 26, at the Cercle Royal Gaulois in Brussels. The International Taste & Quality Institute (iTQi) is the leading independent chef and sommelier based organisation. Its aim is to test and promote “superior tasting food and drink from around the world”.

In the Superior Taste Award products are blind tested solely on their own merit (not compared). The focus is on the intensity of gustatory pleasures. Criteria scored are first impression, appearance, aroma, texture, flavour and retro-olfaction and are commented on by each judge. Judges are picked from a selection of 12 most prestigious culinary and sommeliers associations in Europe.

New Zealand King Salmon is permitted to use Superior Taste Award labels on its products for three years. The iTQi awards are now in their seventh year and in 2011 attracted 906 product entries from 54 countries. No stars are awarded to products that don’t reach the 70 per cent threshold for one star.

Websites
iTQi: www.itqi.com/en
New Zealand King Salmon: www.kingsalmon.co.nz/
Regal Salmon: www.regalsalmon.co.nz/
Southern Ocean: www.facebook.com/SouthernOceanSalmon

About New Zealand King Salmon
New Zealand King Salmon (NZKS) sustainably farms Chinook salmon from five sea farms in the crisp, clear waters of the South Island’s Marlborough Sounds. NZKS invests heavily in research and development and is recognised worldwide for its best in class Chinook salmon farming practises. It is firmly committed to the sustainability and viability of a renewable resource with its success centred on maintaining the purity of the waters in which the salmon are farmed. Chinook salmon has the highest natural content of healthy Omega-3 oils important for life and good health and which can help to maintain a healthy heart.

ENDS

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