As MD of Food, Zyda Rylands, explains, "Innovation has always been what our customers rely on us for. Our Cheese Makers Challenge is a wonderful way for us to add to our existing range of over 130 cheeses, many of which are exclusive to the store and at the same time acknowledge the artisans behind so many of them."
The winner of the 2011 competition, dairy farmer turned cheese maker Eckard Leicher of La Montanara, a small cheesery near Ashton in the Breede River valley, whose Royal Ashton cheese took home top honours in the 2011 competition is one of them.
The Royal Ashton is also one of seven of the store's cheeses to receive a Qualité award at the 2012 SA National Dairy Championships. The others are its Boerenkaas, 6-months Matured Cheddar, Vintage Cheddar, Ricotta, Mascarpone and plain Cream Cheese.
Rylands continues, "We're proud of how well our cheeses performed at this prestigious event. I do not think there's any doubt that the store has become the home of award-winning cheese."
Cheese makers who are considering launching a new cheese, or who have launched a novelty cheese in the previous 12 months that's not currently sold in retail supermarkets, are encouraged to enter. Any one cheese producer may enter a maximum of two cheeses. These should fit within the following broad categories: hard cheese, semi-hard cheese, wash rind cheese, white mould cheese, blue mould cheese, fresh cheese or cheeses with additives. An independent panel will do judging.
Entries will also have to comply with all regulations governing cheeses in South Africa and the store's standards. All the details and entry forms are available on www.woolworths.co.za and www.tastemag.co.za. Entries must be submitted by 30 September 2012.
