Fonterra’s Easy Bakery Cream Shines at New Zealand Food Awards

A New Zealand cream product has taken top honors at the New Zealand Food Awards, highlighting the country’s innovation in the food industry. On October 5, 2023, Fonterra’s Easy Bakery Cream won both the ingredient/food service award and the prestigious supreme award during a ceremony held at the CET Arena in Palmerston North. This recognition comes as the product gains popularity in the growing Chinese market.

Easy Bakery Cream is an ultra-high temperature (UHT) cream that has been available in China since its launch in mid-2022. It caters to bakers creating European-style baked goods. The UHT treatment allows the cream to remain shelf-stable at room temperature, making it a convenient choice for consumers and businesses alike.

The team behind the product—comprising Hemang Batt, Leena Kishor, and Maria Ferrua—was also honored with the food technologist/developer of the year title. Batt, from Fonterra’s Research and Development Centre, noted that the development process spanned a decade of research, with just six months required to take the product from concept to market.

Gary Burdett, Fonterra’s senior product and innovation manager, expressed his excitement about the awards. “We are over the moon,” he said, emphasizing the collaborative effort that went into bringing Easy Bakery Cream to fruition. “It’s a global effort born in New Zealand, involving many people in New Zealand and our staff in China who have successfully connected with new customers.”

The cream is a full-dairy whipping cream with a fat content of 30%, which is slightly lower than traditional creams, yet it maintains its flavor and structure. Batt mentioned the extensive hard work and long hours dedicated by factory staff during the product’s development. To expedite the design process, the team even employed artificial intelligence to create the product’s packaging.

Principal technologist Gareth McKenna explained that achieving the lower fat content involved finding the right processing conditions and formulations. “If you talk to a pastry baker, they typically say they need 35% fat to whip,” Burdett added. “These guys have managed to do it with 30%, allowing us to enter a different price tier in the rapidly expanding Chinese market.”

While specific sales figures were not disclosed, Burdett indicated that demand for Easy Bakery Cream is increasing significantly. Plans are underway to expand its reach into Indonesia, Thailand, North and Southeast Asia, and Latin America.

The New Zealand Food Awards celebrated other exceptional products as well. Aoraki Salmon received the chilled/frozen award for its Zesty Salmon Spread and the primary sector award for its Blackcurrant with Kāmahi Honey—Cold Smoked Salmon. Additionally, Harraways Rolled Oats was honored with the lifetime achievement award for its long-standing contribution to the industry.

Other notable winners included The Kutai Guy’s smoked mussels natural, which won the artisan award, and Elta Ego’s Pina Colada alcohol-free adaptogenic cocktail and Otis Oat Milk’s High Fibre + Low Fat drink, which shared the beverage award. Firebird’s Protein Coffee Original secured the health and wellbeing award, while Chantal Organics took home the pantry award for its Organic Choc Hazelnut Corn Puffs. Giesen 0% received the technical innovation award for its New Zealand Chardonnay, and Gabrielle Lobo of the New Zealand Food Innovation Network was recognized as the emerging talent in food science and technology.

The New Zealand Food Awards continue to highlight the creativity and quality of products in the country’s food sector, showcasing the significant contributions of local businesses to both domestic and international markets.