Sweetree Awards

Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards

These awards celebrate Kiwis who harvest, grow and make food and drinks.  All products were judged on quality, taste, consistency, visual appearance, packaging, innovation, point of difference, sustainable practices and story behind the product. We were up against a lot of other products from 'the earth' such as other honeys, spreads, condiments, loaves, crackers, nuts, etc.

​​​​​​​2020: 

In 2020 we entered Sweetree Four Brothers Reserve honey and won a SILVER medal!  

Judging this year was made on the following criteria:
Product: Aroma, flavour, consistency, quality, visual appearance, innovation, innovation (75%).
Sustainability: Sustainable business practices in producing the product (15%). 
Brand Story / Originality: The story of your brand, how you got here, where you’re going, what makes your product original and demonstrates your passion. Packaging, if applicable, is also considered as part of this score. (10%).

Judges' comments: A very smooth and enjoyable honey. Just delicious.

Sustainable judges feedback: Good environmental story: local honey business with a focus on biodiversity. Good consideration of packaging (glass) and the supply chain. EV for transport. Next steps to progress to goal to become carbon neutral (consideration of energy etc). Impressive work with the council to populate bee population. Work with the community. 
 

2019: 

2018: 

• We didn't enter in 2018

2017:

In 2017 we entered Sweetree Kirikiriroa honey Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards and was judged a Finalist!  All products were judged on quality, taste, consistency, visual appearance, packaging, innovation, point of difference, sustainable practices and story behind the product.

Outstanding NZ Food Producer Award's organiser Kathie Bartley says “being a finalist means producers are the ‘best of the best’.  Shoppers can look out for the Outstanding NZ Food Producer quality guarantee as some finalists will showcase their status by attaching finalist medals to their packaging.”

 Apiculture NZ Honey Show

This competition is the same at the National Beekeepers Association awards below, they have been renamed Apiculture NZ.  In in this competition, the bee products are judged purely on the product with no packaging, marketing or gimmicks to detract from the honey.  All honey is entered in the same packaging and the products are judged on various characteristics such as aroma, colour, cleanliness, taste, and texture.

2019: 

• We received a bronze award for our Kirikiroa in the 'Special Reserve Honey' class. This section was judged on various characteristics such as aroma, colour, cleanliness, taste, texture, floral source as well as the story around the honey.

2018: 

• We didn't enter in 2018

2017:

• 1st Dried Bee Pollen (Gold)
• 2nd in 'Beekeepers Special Reserve' with our Hakarimata honey (Silver)
• 3rd in the Products of the Hive with our Propolis Tincture (Bronze)

National Beekeepers Association Honey Show

The National Beekeepers Association awards are judged purely on the product with no packaging, marketing or gimmicks to detract from the honey.  All honey is entered in the same packaging and the products are judged on various characteristics such as aroma, colour, cleanliness, taste and texture.

2016:

• 1st in the Dried Bee Pollen (Gold)
• 1st in the Products of the Hive with our Propolis Tincture (Gold)

2015:

• 2nd in the Beekeepers Special Reserve Honey with our new Kirikiriroa honey (Silver), we were 3 points away from being 1st!
• 3rd in the Dried Bee Pollen (Bronze)

2014:

• 1st in the Dried Bee Pollen (Gold)
• 2nd in the Beekeepers Special Reserve Honey with our Ohui Manuka honey (Silver)
• 3rd in the Beekeepers Special Reserve Honey with our Hakarimata honey (Bronze)
• 3rd in the Products of the Hive with our Propolis Tincture (Bronze)

2013:

• 2nd overall
• 1st in the Beekeepers Special Reserve Honey with our Hakarimata honey (Gold)
• 1st in the Dried Bee Pollen (Gold)
• 3rd in the Products of the Hive with our Propolis Tincture (Bronze)

2012:

• 2nd in the Beekeepers Special Reserve Honey with our Hakarimata Honey (Silver )
• 3rd with our Dried Bee Pollen (Bronze) 

Farmers Market NZ Awards

2018: 

• We didn't enter in 2018

2017:

This year we were judged 'Highly Commended' with our Kirikiriroa, Hakarimata and Marokopa Spring honeys.
 

Here is the judge's feedback:

It would be fair to day, that this category (Kitchen Bench - preserves) is perhaps the hardest of all to judge, with your mixture of honey, jams, jellies, fruit pastes, chutneys, sauces etc. They have suggested that it might make things easier to split it up a little.  It is always the biggest category for the judges and one that is very highly fought. The quality of your entries was extremely high, well done to you all. Due to the number of entries, the judges felt it appropriate to award three Highly Commended placings. Here's some specific feedback:

Kirikirioa: was a nice with a nice flavour and light in colour.
Hakarimata: was a nice honey, light in colour with an intense flavour.
Marokopa Spring: had a smooth texture, nice and creamy with a clean flavour.

2016:

This year we were judged 'Runner Up' with our Four Brothers Reserve honey and 'Highly Commended' with our Kirikiriroa honey.

* We didn't enter this competition in 2014 & 2015

2013:

Here is the judge's feedback:

2012:

We entered our Four Brothers Reserve, Marokopa Spring, Marokopa Summer and Marokopa Manuka honeys and Dried Bee Pollen into the 'Taste of NZ Farmers Market Awards'. 

We were judged 'Highly Commended (2nd)' in the 'From the Kitchen Bench' section.

Judges were Jonny Schwass, Nadia Lim & Julie Biuso.  Here is their feedback:

•  Love it, Like the packaging, great story and family business, no graininess, nice mouth-full and individual honey flavours
• Interesting bee pollen, serving suggestions on packaging, passionate food producers and it shows in the product
• Love the packaging and the story, really delicious and the real taste of honey flavour,  love the honey is raw!

2011:

We entered our Four Brothers Reserve and Marokopa Summer honeys and Dried Bee Pollen into the 'Taste of NZ Farmers Market Awards'. 

We were placed 3rd in the 'From the Kitchen Bench' section and judged as 'One of the Best and to Watch Out For'.

• Interesting flavour, caramel flavour really comes through and a good flowing texture
• Beautiful packaging.  Great Honeys, real regional flavours
• Bee Pollen is one of the most underrated natural foods that you can find.   Great taste, floral and tart - perfect for breakfast or as a garnish on ice cream