Sweetree Awards

Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards

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

The judging panel included respected food writer and champion of New Zealand cuisine, Head Judge, Lauraine Jacobs; Kathy Paterson, food writer; Enzo Bettio, founder of Delmaine Foods and owner of Vin Alto; Anna Tait-Jamieson, NZ Life & Leisure, food editor; Lucy Corry, NZ Life & Leisure contributor and food writer; Mat McLean, head chef/owner of Palate Restaurant, Hamilton and Beef & Lamb New Zealand Platinum Ambassador; Sam Mannering, chef/co-owner of The Homestead Company, Auckland; Nick Honeyman, head chef/owner of Paris Butter, Auckland; Trudi Nelson, food writer, broadcaster and co-owner of Fresh and Emily King (Sustainable Business Network food program).

Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards 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.

2017:

• 1st in the 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

2017:

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

Here is the judges 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 judges 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 flavors
• Interesting bee pollen, serving suggestions on packaging, passionate food producers and it shows in product
• Love the packaging and the story, really delicious and the real taste of honey flavour,  love the 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 flavors
• 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 icecream