Matatoki-based The Cheese Barn has had an exciting week, starting with the NZ Cheese Awards on 4 May at the Wintec Te Pūkenga Atrium in Hamilton.
This year’s New Zealand Cheese Awards was an extra special event, as it marked the 20th anniversary of the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association.
Prior to the night, The Cheese Barn had been awarded a Gold Medal for their Organic Halloumi and a Bronze Medal for their Organic Gouda for 2023.
The Cheese Barn’s last big win at the NZ Cheese Awards was in 2018, when they were presented with a Gold Medal and a Trophy Medal for their Organic Cumin Seed Gouda. They then went on to win the Champion of Champions Cheese Trophy for the Organic Cumin Seed Gouda, an overall award across all the categories.
This year they were excited to receive the Kiwi Labels Champion Greek/Cypriot Style Cheese award for their Organic Halloumi.
A very clean flavour, buttery, and milky flavour. Slightly spongy texture but also nice and smooth and soft.
The judges, on the Organic Halloumi
This is the first time The Cheese Barn has entered the Halloumi, so they were very excited to come away with a big win.