Alliance wins two major food awards

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Leading food company Alliance Group has won two major food awards for its premium TE MANA LAMB.

TE MANA LAMB, developed as part of The Omega Lamb Project, won the New Zealand Food Safety Primary Sector Products and Frozen categories at the New Zealand Food Awards, which showcases the best of New Zealand’s food and beverage industry.

The premium lamb has higher levels of polyunsaturated (good) fats and omega-3 fatty acids, which results in an entirely new lamb taste experience with outstanding succulence, tenderness and flavour.

It’s on the menu of a number of exclusive Hong Kong, New Zealand and UK restaurants and the award-winning home delivery food service My Food Bag’s My Gourmet Bag range.

Peter Russell, General Manager Marketing, Alliance, said the awards win highlighted the co-operative’s commitment to capturing more market value.

“TE MANA LAMB is now commanding a premium in key markets and the feedback from chefs has been outstanding. The development of this innovative product is the result of a collective effort between the co-operative and dedicated and visionary farmers, supported by the government.

“TE MANA LAMB has also reinforced New Zealand’s position as the home of the world’s best lamb. This lamb has been a major drawcard for a new generation of foodies and entirely new consumer segments and markets that previously weren’t interested in or had lapsed consumption of lamb.

“Another of our premium lambs, SILERE Alpine Origin Merino, was also among winners at the New Zealand Food Awards in 2014. This underlines how Alliance Group is developing an award-winning differentiated premium product portfolio.”

The Omega Lamb Project, a Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) programme involving Alliance, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and a group of innovative farmers known as Headwaters, is the culmination of a decade’s research and development.

It found that the right combination of genetics, management and forage can alter the fat profile of lamb and produce animals that are healthy, while delivering a demonstrably healthier product for consumers.

Yesterday’s awards represented further industry recognition for this unique product, with Te Mana Lamb receiving the 2017 Innovation Award for New Zealand’s Most Innovative Food. The winners were announced on Wednesday 17th October at SKYCITY, Auckland.