Fonterra wins Best New Cheese for reduced-salt Cheddar
The International Dairy Federation (IDF) has awarded Fonterra the Best New Cheese Award for its reduced-salt Cheddar at the IDF Innovation Awards last week in Salzburg, Austria.
The awards, with over 170 entrants from 29 countries, are designed to reward innovation in the global dairy industry.
The new Savoury Cheddar has 40% less salt, with a shelf life equivalent to standard Cheddar and without the freezing requirement of traditional low-salt cheese.
Fonterra’s Chief Technology Officer Dr Jeremy Hill said the product responds to consumer demand and calls from nutritionists and regulators for foods that are lower in sodium.
“Globally, we’re seeing a real trend among health-conscious consumers towards products that are lower in salt. At the same time, consumers tell us they aren’t willing to compromise on taste. In our new Savoury Cheddar, we’ve achieved a product with the full flavour and functionality of a standard Cheddar, but with 40% less salt,” says Hill.
Fonterra was also shortlisted for the Best School Milk Initiative Award for Australia’s CalciYum – Adopt a Cow campaign.
The campaign gave schools stocking CalciYum – a low-fat, flavoured milk with extra calcium and vitamin D – access to a website allowing students to learn about the Australian dairy industry. Students could select their own cow from photos and profiles supplied by Fonterra’s farmers.
The CalciYum campaign helped lift sales by almost 50%, reaching over 100 schools and 30,000 students.
