Beston cheddar named best in class at national dairy awards

At the prestigious 2023 Australian Grand Dairy Awards, Murray Bridge company Beston Global Foods' cheddar has been named champion.

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Beston Global Foods’ factory and technical manager Paul Connolly displays the Grand Dairy Award and the cheddar that won it.

At the prestigious 2023 Australian Grand Dairy Awards, Murray Bridge company Beston Global Foods’ cheddar has been named a champion.

The awards honour the best dairy and cheese products in Australia and are considered the industry’s most highly regarded accolade.

In this year’s competition, 320 products were judged across 18 categories, including milks, yoghurts, ice creams, butter, cream and a variety of cheeses.

Beston won an award for its Edwards Crossing matured cheddar and was the only South Australian winner.

Murray Bridge factory and technical manager Paul Connolly said the award had been the result of a very thorough process.

“You have to win a gold medal in another competition to even enter this competition, and you’re up against all the other winners Australia wide,” he said.

“There’s a panel of eight judges – all dairy producers.

“It’s like the grand final of football but for dairy products.

“All cheesemakers like to know they do a good cheese – it’s really rewarding for a lot of hard work for me and my team.”

There’s no ‘I’ in cheese. Part of the Beston Global Foods team behind the best cheddar in Australia. From left to right: Lewis D’Angelo, Paul Connolly, Jan Croser and Franco Caiapich. Photo: Michael X. Savvas.

What made the award-winning cheddar so good?

“The cheddars that we make are well-made, natural-type cheddars,” he said.

“We use very good quality milk; if you’ve got milk that’s not up to standard, you’re going to make an average cheese.

“Then you add the flavour cultures and the enzymes, and then it’s best practices in every part of the cheesemaking – it’s the recipes and how you execute the recipes.

“You have to get every part right.

“We’ve got our team of cheesemakers and good automation in the plant that runs through the recipes.”

“It’s a team effort, and all the teams in all departments have contributed to our success.”

The Australian Grand Dairy Award had been good for staff morale at Beston Global Foods, he said, and had come at a good time.

“As we’re going back into retail, it’s good to let people know we have the best cheese in Australia,” he said.

• More information: bestonglobalfoods.com.au.