2003 Winners
Discover the stories and view the pictures of our 2003 Premier's Food Awards Winners...
Malaysia Airlines Young Leader Award
Winner - Willa Wauchope
Willa Wauchope is Director of Willabrand Figs, a business he started in 1997 at the family’s Glen Ewin property in the Adelaide Hills.
Initially, Willa began growing and supplying fresh figs to Adelaide restaurants and fruit and vegetable stores. In addition, Willabrand now produces a range of value added products including glaced and chocolate-coated figs and a fig and nut loaf.
Demand for Willa’s new found knowledge of fig varieties and orchard management has lead to the establishment of a consultancy business to assist newcomers to the industry.
Willa’s goal is to create a consolidated Australian Fig Industry where fruit is grown throughout the country and packed and manufactured enabling year round supply into both domestic and international markets.
Willa is also an active member of the Adelaide Hills Food Group and the Food and Wine steering committee which helps to define strategic goals for the region.
AusBulk Grains Industry Achievement Award
Winner (over $1m) - Coopers Brewery
Coopers Brewery, based at Regency Park in Adelaide, is Australia’s last remaining family owned brewery and the third largest brewery in Australia.
Coopers specialises in the production of boutique, high quality beers, home brew beer concentrates and malt extract which is sold to a variety of food and beverage producers.
Coopers products are made from the finest quality malt sourced from premium South Australian barley.
Winner (under $1m) - Tutto Pasta
Tutto Pasta produces fresh pasta and sauces as well as 21 varieties of premium, home-style pasta meals.
The ‘take home and reheat meals’ target consumers with high income and busy lifestyles.
Tutto Pasta is a family-owned company based at Flinders Park.
Adelaide Produce Markets Limited & South Australian Farmers Federation Horticulture Industry Achievement Award
Winner (over $1m) - Angas Park Fruit Company Pty Ltd
Angas Park Fruit Company is Australia's leading processor, distributor and exporter of Australian dried fruit.
Angas Park’s recent focus has been on re-positioning the Australian dried fruit industry from a supplier of commodity products to an innovative manufacturer of value-added goods.
Based at Angaston in the Barossa Valley, the company has 230 full time employees, 700 seasonal workers and purchases fruit from over 15 hundred growers in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
Winner (under $1m) - Thorogoods Apple Wines
Thorogoods Apple Wines combines traditional cider making techniques with an innovative, modern approach to produce high quality apple wines and vinegars.
In 1989, Tony and Susan Thorogood planted an orchard of old and forgotten apple varieties on their property in Burra.
A decade later they opened their cellar door from where they now sell still and sparkling style wines, liqueurs and vinegars made from apples.
Visy Board Meat Industry Achievement Award
Winner (over $1m) - Big River Pork Pty Ltd
Big River Pork, situated at Murray Bridge, processes pigs for supply to Australian and international markets.
Big River Pork, which is a consortium of four of Australia’s major pork industry players, began its operations just two years ago.
The company attributes its high quality product to being able to manage each step of the “farm to retail” production process.
Winner (under $1m) - The Brook Meat Store
The Brook Meat Store is a wholesaler and retailer of high quality meat in the Crystal Brook District.
The business provides a large range of quality assured products to its diverse customer base.
Rabobank Seafood Industry Achievement Award
Winner (over $1m) - Springs Smoked Seafoods Pty Ltd
Springs Smoked Seafoods produces a range of fresh and value added seafood products.
Springs supplies fresh smoked seafood retail packs to more than 700 Australian supermarkets and has secured significant sales in the food service sector and targeted export markets.
Springs Smoked Seafood was established in 1990 by Master of the Smokehouse, Richard Harris.
Winner (under $1m) - Ferguson Australia Pty Ltd
Ferguson Australia is a third generation fishing business owned by Andrew and Debra Ferguson.
The Ferguson’s are value adding to the traditional live lobster business by processing larger lobsters, which are not desired by export markets.
The Ferguson’s fish for lobster in waters off Kangaroo Island and in the South East of South Australia.
Dairy Farmers Dairy Industry Achievement Award
Winner (over $1m) - Golden North Pty Ltd
Golden North, based at Laura in the mid north, is a manufacturer of quality ice cream for retail and commercial trade.
Golden North began its operation 100 years ago as a family owned dairy, which later moved into ice cream manufacturing.
The company is the only South Australian-based ice cream manufacturer and is famous for its country made, creamy quality products.
Winner (under $1m) - Woodside Cheese Wrights
Woodside Cheese Wrights produces a range of goat and cow’s milk cheeses with milk supplied from single herd dairies.
Woodside specialises in white mould cheeses but produces an extended range including traditional cheddar, which are all hand made at its Woodside factory in the Adelaide Hills.
The family owned company sells product in every state and territory and is currently exploring export opportunities.
Food South Australia Leadership Through Innovative Services to the Food Industry Award
Winner - Murray Wine and Food
Murray Wine and Food is a division of Murray TAFE, based at Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley.
In addition to its traditional student programs, Murray Wine and Food is working directly with regional foods groups, individual producers and small and large-scale food processing industries.
It is delivering tailor-made, onsite training and development programs to the food industry throughout South Australia.
Peats Soil and Garden Supplies Leadership Through Sustainable Industry Award
Winner - B.-d. Farm Paris Creek Pty Ltd
B.-d. Farm Paris Creek uses biodynamic farming practices which excludes the use of all artificial fertilisers, pesticides and fungicides on grazing pastures and the herd is not subjected to preventative drenching, genetic engineering, hormones or antibiotics.
B.-d. Farm has recently installed a specialised liquid manure composting facility to recycle all liquid waste from the manufacturing plant and dairy.
The company is also providing leadership to other dairy farmers, encouraging and assisting them to convert from conventional farming methods to biodynamic practices.
National Food Industry Strategy Leadership Through New Export Development Award
Winner - Coopers Brewery
Coopers Brewery is the largest exporter of home brew concentrate in the world with exports markets in eleven countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia and South Africa.
Key markets for home brew kits are hobbyists and consumers on a budget, particularly in countries with high alcohol taxes.
Liquid malt extract, derived from a process of crushing malted barley, is another key export product produced at Coopers Regency Park brewery.
Vili's Cakes Leadership Through Innovation Award
Winner - Tarac Technologies Pty Ltd
Tarac Technologies, based in the Barossa Valley, has recently developed the Vinlife trademark which is a range of natural grape extracts designed to meet the needs of the emerging functional foods industry.
Produced entirely from the skins and seeds of wine grapes, clinical tests have shown Vinlife™ contains powerful antioxidants, which may prevent heart disease and degenerative diseases associated with aging.
Vinlife™ can be used as an additive in a wide range of processed foods such as baked goods and dairy products.