Melbourne Royal Dairy Awards: Inglenook Dairy wins top cream

Inglenook Dairy has taken out seven medals and one trophy at the Melbourne Royal-hosted Australian Food Awards.

They say cream rises to the top — and the adage has proven apt for Inglenook Dairy.

The Ballarat-based boutique processor has taken out seven medals and one trophy at the

Melbourne Royal-hosted Australian Food Awards.

Inglenook Dairy director Troy Peterken said his team were most pleased with winning best in class for its cream.

The processor, based at Dunnstown near Ballarat, is supplied by a 250-cow farm in southwest Victoria.

Mr Peterken said the 250-strong herd is a crossbred mix of Aussie Reds, Jerseys and Friesians.

“It’s like coffee — having crossbreds gives you the perfect blend,” Mr Peterken said.

“Winning at the Melbourne Royal was really exciting because you’re competing against the best in the business.”

Mr Peterken said optimal seasonal conditions in 2023 had given their cream an extra zing.

“The pastures have been great this year, the season has really helped us, and that’s come through to the taste of the finished product,” he said.

Troy Peterken of Inglenook Dairy. Picture: Jay Town

Not only did Inglenook win in its own right, but the winners of the champion dairy producer and champion Victorian dairy producer categories — Surf Coast-based Gelato Gelato — purchase their cream from the Ballarat processor.

Co-owned by Jo Stevens and Stephanie Lewis, Gelato Gelato was founded seven years ago and has stores in Lorne, Anglesea and Geelong.

Melbourne Royal chief executive Brad Jenkins said the show’s dairy awards date back to the 1870s, with more than 200 entries this year.

“(The awards) provide producers across the country with an opportunity to benchmark their

goods against the very best,” Mr Jenkins said.

Among the other Melbourne Royal winners were Lard Ass Butter from Ocean Grove, which took top honours in the butter category for its Black Garlic Cultured Butter.

Tasmania’s Coal River Farm won the best cheese award, while South Australia’s Woodside Cheese Wrights won best non-cow cheese with its Goat Persian Feta.

The best unflavoured yoghurt was judged to be Bulla Australian Style Natural Yoghurt, while the best flavoured fresh milk went to WA processor Brownes Foods for its Aldi Champ iced coffee.