By Laura Michell
Thomastown is making a name for itself as Victoria’s top dairy area.
The suburb proved its dairy products are the cream of the crop, with four local companies taking out half of Victoria’s share of the awards at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards.
The annual awards celebrate the quality and excellence of Australia’s top cheeses, ice creams, yoghurts, milks and butters.
This year, more than 40 products across 18 categories were taste-tested and critiqued.
Floridia Cheese had four products named as finalists at the awards, with its Pecorino Pepato named champion hard cheese.
Finance and marketing general manager Rosalba Portella said the win validated the Montalto family’s work over the past 60 years.
“The win verifies that the traditional methods we use to make authentic Italian-style cheese gives our products the quality, consistency and flavour profile required,” she said.
Montefiore Cheese’s Trecce was named champion fresh, unripened cheese.
That’s Amore Cheese had its Buffalo Ricotta named champion goat’s sheep and buffalo milk cheese.
Yoghurt producer, Jalna Dairy Foods had two products named as finalists, with its Biodynamic Organic Yoghurt named the champion natural yoghurt.
