Top award for Western Cape produce ahead of SA Cheese Festival
A Western Cape cheese has been named as South Africa’s best dairy product of the year.
Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, congratulated Dalewood for clinching the top award at the 2016 SA Dairy Championships.
The Dalewood “Fromage Huguenot” was named South African Dairy Product of the Year 2016, at the championships which were held last night.
“This award is the latest in a string of accolades for Dalewood. I would like to congratulate them on this latest achievement. It is our goal to add up to a further 100 000 jobs to the Western Cape’s agri-processing sector. By becoming recognised as a producer of high-quality products, we will ensure we make it happen,” said Minister Winde.
The news comes just before the 15th South African Cheese Festival, which takes place between 30 April and 2 May at Sandringham, Stellenbosch.
Minister Winde will officially open the Cape Made: Taste the Alternatives and Cape Made Kitchen exhibitions at the festival on Saturday.
“We are working to ensure our agri entrepreneurs, including small scale cheese makers, have the support they need to boost their market share. The SA Cheese Festival provides an excellent platform to increase their consumer base.
Since last year, we have partnered with AgriExpo to promote alternative products at the SA Cheese Festival. Through the Cape Made: Taste the Alternatives pavilion, 30 exhibitors will have the opportunity to promote their products to the trade, and 30 000 consumers.
The products on display will include pomegranates, honeybush and rooibos teas. Through this platform, our goal is to highlight products which are unique to our region and growing in popularity with key international markets,” said Minister Winde.
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has collaborated with two chef schools in Stellenbosch to develop a recipe booklet using alternative products - the Stellenbosch Private Hotel School and the Institute of Culinary Arts.
These recipes will be put to the test in the Cape Made Kitchen by the young chefs. The public can visit the Kitchen for a 30 minute culinary experience with a difference. All the food made in the Kitchen will be sourced from the alternative product exhibitors at the pavilion.
Tickets are available at any Computicket, Shoprite or Checkers store at R150 per person. No tickets will be available at the gates. The festival times are from 10h00 to18h00 daily. Sandringham is conveniently located next to the N1, Stellenbosch turnoff 39, between Cape Town and Paarl.
Please see below Minister Winde’s programme at the festival:
- 9h15 – 9h45: Small Cheese Makers, supported by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture in the Checkers Cheese Emporium
- 10h15 – 10h45: Cape Made: Taste the Alternatives Mall
- 10h55 – 11h30: Cape Made Kitchen for the first cooking demonstration
Bronwynne Jooste
Tel: 021 483 3550
Cell: 060 970 4301
E-mail: bronwynne.jooste@westerncape.gov.za
