$9 Coles freezer item takes out top spot in supermarket awards
Aussie shoppers have crowned a $9 supermarket meal their favourite frozen dish of the year, with food critics claiming it rivals authentic Italian restaurants.
A $9 frozen food item that Aussies labelled “absolutely delicious” and “restaurant quality” has taken out the top spot in a yearly product competition.
This year, the Product of the Year Awards saw 5000 Australians vote on their favourite supermarket product.
Coles Italian Potato Gnocchi with Cacio e Pepe took out the top spot for frozen ready meals after it was introduced in August last year for $8.
The product now has a retail price of $9.
Last yea, food content creators lost their minds when the offering hit supermarket shelves — including @nectoriouspapi.
“Guys, head to Coles because this is a must-try. It’s made in Italy and it tastes absolutely delicious,” he said.
Fellow food blogger Ange Eats, who also spotted it in stores, said it was delicious and that there was a similar version for mushroom risotto.
Mary Kalifatidis, who appeared on Big Brother, said she loved the Italian Gnocchi with Cacio e Pepe, calling it “soft and pillowy”.
“For a meal you don’t have to make from scratch, that is restaurant quality,” she said.
Another food content creator, Sarah Brown, said it was a “melt in your mouth” dish.
Other social media users were in agreement, with one declaring: “Love the Coles Finest line! They have so many good things.”
But some did have questions.
One asked: “Were the portions really small? Calories look too good to be true per serve!”
“Ooooo, looks delicious. But is it Nonna approved,” one queried.
It wasn’t the only Coles product that took out a top prize. Coles Finest Frozen Vegetables Parmentier Potatoes with Herb Butter won in the frozen potato category, the Coles Made With KitKat Cake won in the Bakery – Cakes category and the Coles Special Herb Mayo won in the condiments category.
Deb Galle, Coles general manager of own brand, said: “At Coles, our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re proud to be recognised by them for the outstanding quality and value of our products – including our award-winning Coles Finest range.
“We are committed to giving Australian families more choice and in the past financial year alone, we’ve introduced over 1,000 new Own Brand products to our range. Our Own Brand range provides quality and affordable options to help our customers stretch their budgets further.
“Winning 17 awards this year is a testament to the dedication of our passionate team – from our innovative development chefs and product specialists to our hardworking farmers and trusted suppliers – who never stop raising the bar for quality our customers can taste and trust.”
All up, 17 products from Coles won and 10 products from Woolworths took out top spots. The rest of the prize winners were from a variety of brands such as Cocobella, Emma, Starbucks and Tassal.
Sarah Connelly, the director of Product of the Year, said; “Shopping can feel overwhelming when you’re faced with hundreds of options in every aisle, so it’s important to have some smart shortcuts.
“Of the 40 winning products in the 2026 POY Awards, 27 were innovative products from Coles and Woolworths.
“Last year, home brands claimed 55 per cent of the winning categories, while this year that figure has jumped to 68 per cent, showing us that investments in innovation from private labels are continuing to resonate with shoppers.”
Research conducted by Nielsen IQ revealed that 74 per cent of Australians had a personal health goal, which led to people searching for products that boasted no sugar, high protein and gut health support.
The research also showed that one in five Australians relied on social media influencers promoting products to decide what to buy.
This included things such as viral recipes — which is why Australians couldn’t find cottage cheese for months — and trending products.
More Australians are also shopping at more than one supermarket every month, with four in five switching it up to secure better deals and finding the product they want.
