2004 Winners

Discover the stories and view the pictures of our 2004 Premier's Food Awards Winners...

South Australian Farmers’ Federation Young Leader Of The Year Award

SAFF President, John Lush presents the award to Shane Radbone, CEO, Wendy’s Supa Sundaes.

Shane Radbone is the Chief Executive Officer of Wendy’s Supa Sundaes.

In February last year, thirty four year old Shane also took up the role of group CEO of the Retail Brands Group, which includes a Wendy’s manufacturing facility and a second brand just launched in Australia called Quiznos.

Quiznos is an American based, 2000-store chain that specialises in oven toasted sandwiches.

Coopers Brewery & Blue Lake Milling Grains Industry Achievement Award

Lindy Cook, Blue Lake Milling Sales and Marketing Manager presents Carmello Baldino, L’Abruzzese, with the less than 10 employees award.

Under 10 employees: L’Abruzzese

L’Abruzzese is an Adelaide-based manufacturer of quality dried gourmet pasta, egg noodles and organic pasta.

The family-owned company has grown over the last 24 years to supply distributors, gourmet food retailers and the hospitality industry in South Australia, nationally and Hong Kong.

Dr Tim Cooper, Managing Director of Coopers’ Brewery presents Mitani’s Managing Director, Tas Mitani, with the more than 10 employees award.

More than 10 employees: Mitani Products

Mitani Products is an innovative food ingredients blender and manufacturer specialising in adding value to the poultry and meat industries by providing a tailored blend of quality herbs, spices and seasonings.

The family-owned company is focused on providing exceptional service and quality products to the Australian and New Zealand markets and more recently Asia.

Adelaide Produce Markets Limited and Virginia Horticulture Centre Horticulture Industry Achievement Award

Angelo Demasi, General Manager of Adelaide Produce Markets presents the less than 10 FTEs award to Dino Musolino, Director of the Hi Tech Group.

Under 10 employees: Hi-Tec Group

The Hi-Tec Group grows and processes hydroponic lettuce at Virginia.

Originally operating as a family-owned broad-acre property, the company responded to consumer demands by supplying a range of ready to eat packaged products using freshly harvested lettuce and vegetables.

The company supplies a wide range of customers including Qantas, the hospitality sector and Independent Grocery stores.

Victoria Andrew, Manager, Marketing & Communication, Virginia Horticulture Centre, presents the more than 10 FTEs award to Vitor Marketing General Manager, Steve Burdette.

More than 10 employees: Vitor Marketing

Vitor Marketing is Australia’s largest grower, packer, processor, distributor and marketer of fresh citrus fruit. The company also markets persimmons, stone fruit, mangoes and grapes.

The Riverland-based company was formed more than three decades ago by eight growers. Today there are 38 growers with more than two and a half thousand hectares of orchards under its control.

Visy Board Meat Industry Achievement Award

Visy Board State General Manager Tony Kane presents Waters Meat Store owners Anne and Ian Waters with the less than 10 employees award.

Under 10 employees: Waters Meat Store

Waters Meat Store based at Moonta has recently expanded into a new purpose built butcher shop, which meets all Quality assurance and accreditation standards.

The butcher shop is value adding to its primary product of meat by providing customers with complete meal solutions.

Visy Board State General Manager Tony Kane presents Holco Fine Meat Suppliers Managing Director, Mike Rankin with the more than 10 employees award.

More than 10 employees: Holco Fine Meat Suppliers

Holco Fine Meat Suppliers is an integrated domestic meat wholesaler and retailer selling a range of meat and meat related products.

The company also owns and operates Paringa Farm in the Adelaide Hills, which is a specialist lamb business supplying wholesale and retail markets.

Rabobank Seafood Industry Achievement Award

Rabobank General Manager for Rural, Mark Thompson presents Geoff Turner, Turner Aquaculture with the less than 10 employees award.

Under 10 employees: Turner Aquaculture

Turner Aquaculture is a Cowell based oyster farming operation with an additional operation in Coffin Bay to offset seasonal variances.

The company specialises in wholesaling of oysters to fish processors and retailing local seafood from its shop front in Cowell.

It is also a member of the seafood and aquaculture tourist trail, which allows the public to see the industry first hand.

Rabobank General Manager for Rural, Mark Thompson presents Springs Smoked Seafoods Chief Executive Officer, Richard Harris with the more than 10 employees award.

More than 10 employees: Springs Smoked Seafoods

Springs Smoked Seafoods is an independent Australian company established in 1990 by Master of the Smokehouse, Richard Harris.

The Mt Barker based company draws on three generations of expertise in producing premium quality seafood in the United Kingdom.

Springs has taken the standard of freshness, quality, packaging, labelling and hygiene to new levels in the Australian seafood industry.

Dairy Farmers’ Dairy Industry Achievement Award

Stuart Silver, Group External and Government Affairs Manager, Dairy Farmers presents Woodside Cheesewrights Owner Kris Lloyd with the less than 10 employees award.

Under 10 employees: Woodside Cheese Wrights

Woodside Cheese Wrights specialises in white mould cheeses made from goat and cows’ milk.

All cheeses are hand made at its Woodside factory in the Adelaide Hills using traditional methods and production techniques that are designed to showcase subtle seasonal changes in texture, flavour and smell.

Stuart Silver, Group External and Government Affairs Manager, Dairy Farmers presents Wendy’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Shane Radbone with the more than 10 employees award.

More than 10 employees: Wendy’s Supa Sundaes

Wendy’s Supa Sundaes is a franchise network of ice cream retail stores that was founded in Adelaide 25 years ago.

There are now 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand serving more than one million customers each week.

Originally, the company’s target market was children. Now it has a range of largely fat free and antioxidant enriched products aimed at women.

Food Training SA Leadership Through Innovative Services to the Food Industry Award

Food Training SA Chairperson, Ian Curry presents the award to Blessed Cheese Owner, Mark Potter.

Blessed Cheese is working to form parallels between the South Australian cheese industry and the well-established wine industry.

From its premises in McLaren Vale, the company provides a range of services to tourists visiting the wine region.

In addition to its café and wine bar Blessed Cheese has developed a self guided cheese and wine trail giving visitors the opportunity to match and sample both products.

Peats Soil & Garden Supplies Leadership Through Sustainable Industry Award

Peats Soil Manager Peter Wadewitz presents the award to Graham Brookman, owner of The Food Forest.

The Food Forest is a certified organic permaculture farm and learning centre on 15 hectares of the Gawler River flood flats.

Annemarie and Graham Brookman established the property from a bare paddock 21 years ago to promote a model for sustainable land use in semi arid agricultural areas.

The family-run business produces and processes food from more than 150 varieties of fruit, nuts, grains and native foods as well as poultry products, honey, carob, wine cider and wood.

National Food Industry Strategy Leadership Through New Export Development Award

Angelo Kotses, Trade Committee, NFIS presents the award to Elders General Manager of Meat and Livestock, Jack Gleeson.

Elders Limited, which was established in South Australia in 1839, is now the market leader in dairy cattle exports from Australia to China to meet the increase in demand for dairy products.

The company is focused on delivering high quality animals, feeds and vessels for transportation.

As part of its commitment to doing business with China, Elders has established an office in Shanghai, which employs 30 staff.

SARDI Leadership Through Innovation Award

Dr Rob Lewis, Executive Director, SARDI presents the award to Andrew Ferguson, Director, Ferguson Australia

Through four years of research and development Ferguson Australia has developed a range of products using the entire lobster.

Ferguson Australia’s innovative products reduce up to 40 percent wastage, minimise preparation time and provide convenience and quality control to their customers.