2023 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show indicates industry growth and a rise in health-conscious products

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) has today announced the thirty-two Champion products of its 2023 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show, with this year’s competition highlighting significant growth in both quality and quantity of entrants, and an industry trend towards alternative, health-conscious products.

Judged over a three-week period, and encompassing seven different competitions, this year’s Sydney Royal Fine Food Show saw a range of newcomers and new products taking centre stage, with five first-time exhibitors receiving Champion Awards.

In the Specialty Foods competition, first-time exhibitor Le Saucier, were awarded Champion Savoury Preserve or Product for their Rosemary Jus, with judges praising its rich meaty flavour and beautiful silky texture. Their Braised Beef Cheek Ravioli also picked up a Champion Award in the Pasta competition, marking the first time in nine years an exhibitor has won a Champion Award in two separate Fine Food competitions.

Sydney Royal Fine Food Show Committee Chair, Lachlan Bowtell, said the level of high-quality produce from first-time exhibitors has positive implications for the fine food industry well beyond these competitions.

“The Sydney Royal Fine Food Show provides an important platform for emerging talent to shine in a very active market, and an opportunity for small producers to have the playing field levelled against their larger competitors, as all products are tasted blind”, Lachlan Bowtell said.

“A Sydney Royal medal provides small producers with a recognised mark of distinction, creating consumer confidence in the product, which helps to shape the overall quality of the product market, so it’s a win for everyone involved”.

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) has announced the thirty-two Champion products of its 2023 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show.

Fermented products were a notable standout at this year’s competition, with products such as Kombucha, Sauerkraut, and Miso, surging in popularity. The 16^th Annual President Medal winners, Rice Culture, led the charge with six gold medals and another Champion Award for their Organic Shiro (White) Miso.

Plant-based and gluten-free categories continue to grow, while natural oil replacements, such as tallow, a rendered form of beef fat, also made an appearance.

“These products are reflective of wider industry trends as consumers are looking for more organic, sustainable, and healthier alternatives to traditional products. The products that we are seeing come through are tapping into current societal values of reducing food waste and consuming produce that provides more holistic health benefits.

“What is most important is that not only are we seeing a growth in these types of products, but the quality is also there, with approximately a third of entrants in these categories receiving gold medals”, Bowtell said.

This year’s Sydney Royal Fine Food Show saw significant growth across the seven competitions, both in entries and gold medal recipients. Entries in the Professional Bakery competition were up by 42% compared to last year, while the percentage of gold medal winners in the Pasta competition was doubled this year.

In the Oil & Olives competition, despite unseasonably cold weather impacting this year’s olive harvest, an impressive 90% of entrants were awarded a medal, with consistent performer Gooramada Olives awarded Champion Table Olives for the third year in a row.

“It’s exciting to see the growth across the competitions and the increasing number of medals awarded at that top level, reaffirming that the quality of Australian produce continues to improve. As more and more small producers submit their products for evaluation and receive valuable feedback from some of the best judges in the industry, this will continue to raise standards and drive product quality going forward”, Bowtell said.

All 2023 Sydney Royal Fine Food Champions are listed below. Full results (including gold, silver & bronze medals) can be found at the RAS Website

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) has announced the thirty-two Champion products of its 2023 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show

2023 Sydney Royal Fine Food Champions

Aquaculture:

• Champion Fresh Fish:
  Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod for its Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod Gill Gutted 2.0kg-3.0kg
• Champion Smoked/Cured Product:
  By Kai for its Smoked Trout
• Champion Other Farmed Aquaculture Product:
  The Nambucca Oyster Company for its La Charentaise

Branded Meats:

• Champion Lamb:
  Midfield Meats International for its ‘246’ Grass Fed Lamb Rack
• Champion Pork:
  Gumshire Pork for its Gumshire Pork Hampshire Pork Loin
• Champion Beef:
  Stockyard Beef Pty Ltd for its Stockyard Gold
• Champion Poultry:
  The Food Farm for its The Food Farm Pasture Raised Chicken Certified Organic Fed Whole Bird 1.6kg
• Branded Meat Grand Champion (The Dick Stone Perpetual Trophy for Branded Meat Grand Champion Exhibit):
  Midfield Meats International for its ‘246’ Grass Fed Lamb Rack

Oil & Olives:

• Champion Boutique Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
  W2Olives for its W2Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Champion Single Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Commercial Volume):
  EB & JC Hartmann Partnership Glen Olives for its Glen Olives Frantoio
• Champion Blended Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Commercial Volume):
  Wilson Family Olives for its Wilson Family – Olive D’or – Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Picual/Coratina)
• Champion Flavoured or Culinary Oil:
  Rio Vista Olives, produced by Woodlane Estate Pty Ltd, for its Rio Vista Olives Chilli Pressed Olive Oil
• Champion Table Olives:
  Gooramadda Olives for its Gooramadda Olives – Kalamata Olives

Pasta:

• Champion Fresh Pasta:
  Mancini Pasta for its Mancini Pasta Fresh Spaghetti
• Champion Dried Pasta:
  Braidwood Food Company for its Artisanal Australian Mountain Pepper Gigli
• Champion Filled Pasta:
  Le Saucier for its Le Saucier | Braised Beef Cheek Ravioli
• Champion Noodle:
  Not Awarded

Professional Bakery:

• Champion Bread:
  Three Mills Bakery for its Three Mills Bakery Salt & Pepper Baguette
• Champion Cake:
  Little Secrets Bakehouse for its Little Secrets Bakehouse – Fig and Apple Cake
• Champion Biscuit:
  Three Mills Bakery for its Three Mills Bakery Salted Chocolate Rye Cookie
• Champion Pastry:
  Sacrebleu! Caneles and Co Pty Ltd for its Sacrebleu!’s Traditional Quiche Lorraine
• Best Professional Bakery Apprentice/Student Exhibit:
  The Gumnut Patisserie, Apprentice Carla Penza, for the Opera Slice/Strawberry Rhubarb Tart/Passionfruit Meringue

Smallgoods & Charcuterie:

• Champion Bacon:
  Gold Coast Fresh Meat Centre for its Taylor’s Premium Short Cut Maple Bacon
• Champion Ham:
  Stapleton Family Meats Gymea for its Stapleton’s Own Boneless Leg Ham
• Champion Salami Type Products:
  Puopolo Artisan Salumi for its Puopolo Artisan Salumi Finocchiona Mild Fennel Salami
• Champion Dried/Cured Products:
  Hungerford Meat Co, produced by MR Charcuterie, for its MR Charcuterie Chilli + Fennel Lonza
• Champion Other Charcuterie Products (Annual Trophy supported by NSW Food Authority):
  Hungerford Meat Co, produced by MR Charcuterie, for its MR Charcuterie Pate De Campagne Pork + Pistachio Terrine
• Champion Fresh Sausage (The Champion Fresh Sausage Perpetual Trophy, donated by Graham J Crouch):
  Tender Gourmet Butchery for its Pork Truffle and Provolone Cheese

Specialty Foods:

• Champion Sweet Preserve or Product:
  Black Garlic & Co for its Aged Black Garlic & Cherry Paste
• Champion Savoury Preserve or Product:
  Le Saucier for its Le Saucier | Rosemary Jus
• Champion Spice, Pickled Product, or Vinegar:
  Rice Culture for its Rice Culture Organic Shiro (White) Miso
• Champion Other Specialty Product:
  Hazelbrae Hazelnuts for its Hazelbrae Hazelnuts Slow Cooked & Dry Roasted Hazelnuts
• Champion Coffee:
  Bellissimo Coffee for its Chesterson Estate Coffee

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