Tip Top and Little ‘Lato scoop up top accolades at the 2022 NZ Ice Cream and Gelato Awards

This year a gelato scooped up Supreme Boutique Champion title — the first time a gelato has taken out one of the top accolades.

Auckland artisan gelato maker Little ‘Lato was named Formula Foods Supreme Boutique Champion for their Speculoos Gelato as well as collecting the Sensient Technologies Champion Gelato Award. An Awards rule change in 2020 allowed gelato and sorbet to compete alongside ice cream for the two supreme awards, making Little ‘Lato the first gelato maker to be named Supreme Champion.

Tip Top Ice Cream Company Kāpiti Fig & Manuka Honey was recognised with the other supreme award, being named Americold Supreme Champion. This was one of seven trophies Tip Top was awarded. The judges raved about this product saying “A superstar in the constellation of premium ice creams. A clear standout with its innovative use of figs in a rich creamy manuka honey ice cream to bring together two Kiwi favourites.”

For the first time the Awards have recognised a novelty ice cream with an out-and-out New Zealand legend being recognised. The inaugural GS Hall Novelty Ice Cream Award was made to the Tip Top Boysenberry Trumpet. The judges said “Wow! Iconic product. Such good acid — sweet balance. Eats really well and is beautifully made.”

Every year the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards has a special category to encourage ice cream and gelato makers to experiment with different ingredients; this year it was ‘Best of Chocolate’. Chief judge Jackie Mattthews noted there were many stand out entries in this category. Takapuna Beach Café Double Chocolate Gelato received theDKSH/Belcolade Champion Best of Chocolate Award. The judges who tasted this standout said; “From the moment the spoon meets the palate this screams high quality ice cream with intense cocoa tastes. The appeal of this product to both consumers and chocolate purists with be enormous – bravo!”

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Sorbet was a stand-out this year, with 14 gold medals awarded in the category and Gellicious Gelato Black Doris Plum Sorbet awarded the NZ Life & Leisure; Champion Sorbet. This is the fourth awards in a row which Gellicious Gelato has been recognised as the champion gelato. Judges described this sorbet as ”Beautifully balanced with deep rich fruitiness offset by the carefully moderated acidity. Consumers will love its immediately obvious Black Doris pluminess and the way the intense flavours linger until the final mouthful.”

The announcement of 14 NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards Category Champions and two Supreme Champions was made at a gala awards dinner in Auckland last night. The trophies came after a record number of gold medals were awarded. Judges awarded 189 medals – an exceptional 61 gold medals were presented, 66 silver medals were awarded and for the first time in its 25-year history the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards have conferred 62 bronze medals.

The Awards, run by the NZ Ice Cream Association, have been held since 1997 and are celebrating 25 years recognising this country’s finest and sharing the results with Kiwi ice cream lovers. NZ Ice Cream Association president, Karl Tiefenbacher is pleased with this year’s results, saying after all the challenges of the past couple of years it’s heartening to see the quality of locally made ice cream and gelato is better than ever.

NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2022 Trophies

Supreme Awards

Americold Supreme Champion
Tip Top Ice Cream Company, Kāpiti Fig & Manuka Honey

Tip Top and Little ‘Lato scoop up top accolades at the 2022 NZ Ice Cream and Gelato Awards

NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2022 Trophies

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