Montefiore’s delicate hand-plaited mozzarella, Trecce, has been crowned the Grand Champion Dairy Product at the 2025 Royal Queensland Awards, earning praise from judges who called it “phenomenal”– a huge feat in a year where dairy entries surged by 35 per cent.
General Manager Peter Ferrante said the win is not just a recognition of product quality, but a nod to Montefiore’s enduring commitment to tradition and craftsmanship.
“We are honoured to win such an award,” Mr Ferrante said.
“It’s a credit to our dedicated staff, led by our production manager, Charlie Rosa.”
Unlike more complex cheeses like cheddar or blue, Montefiore’s Trecce stood out for its texture, flavour, and artisan quality.
The secret?
A time-intensive, hands-on process that honours the roots of Italian cheese-making.
“We carefully hand-stretch the curd to the perfect consistency to create our silky, soft and milky hand-plaited mozzarella,” Mr Ferrante explained.
“It’s a traditional process where every piece is shaped by hand, not by machines– and you can taste the difference.”
While tradition lies at the heart of Montefiore’s process, the brand also embraces innovation– carefully.
“Tradition runs through every step of our process. We still make cheese the way our grandparents taught us, with our hands and a deep respect for the craft,” Mr Ferrante said.
“But we also believe innovation has a place, as long as it preserves the flavour and quality our loyal customers expect from Montefiore.”
In an increasingly competitive landscape, Montefiore refuses to cut corners.
“When margins are tight, a lot of producers cut quality to keep up. We never have,” Mr Ferrante said.
“We still use the best milk and cream because that’s what makes great cheese, and that’s what our customers come back for.”
