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”.
Fermented products were a notable standout at this year’s competition, with products such as Kombucha, Sauerkraut, and Miso, surging in popularity. The 16th 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.
