Woolworths won 36 first prize awards out of a total of 97 product categories. Of the 23 Qualité Awards given, Woolworths dairy products received 10, nine of which for products exclusive to Woolworths stores.
From the over 800 dairy products that are entered from across the country annually, only a very limited number receive the Qualité Award - a mark that denotes excellence in the dairy industry, and the only symbol of exceptional quality for dairy in South Africa. A Qualité emblem is only awarded if a specific minimum number of points have been achieved on the international scorecard and the product with the highest score overall is awarded the Dairy Product of the Year.
Taking up more than half of the entries in the championships, the cheese category is annually the most dominant in the SA Dairy Championships. Of the honours awarded in 2016 for cheese and butter, 24 first prizes were presented to Woolworths, which included eight Qualité Awards.
“We take great pride in stocking the most innovative and delicious dairy products possible,” explained Woolworths MD of foods, Spencer Sonn. “Developed in collaboration with top local suppliers, and our in-house experts, many of these products are exclusive to Woolworths, and we are delighted to be recognised for our efforts.”
