2026 Award Entry Schedule

Since 1999, the Australian Grand Dairy Awards have championed excellence in local dairy. These awards highlight the producers pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in dairy. 

Only manufacturers of gold medal-winning products that are made from Australian milk and already judged at state or national competitions, are eligible. We told you, it’s the best of the best.

The awards acknowledge excellence in Australian products and celebrate the craft of local producers in both domestic and international markets, while offering a platform to showcase the quality of our homegrown dairy. 

From 2023, the awards entered a new era, with Dairy Australia teaming up with the Royal Agricultural Societies. The Societies now lead the judging process, while Dairy Australia announces the winners and drives promotion. It’s a powerful partnership built on shared expertise, passion and a commitment to the future of Australian dairy. 

Key Benefits for winning manufacturers and finalists:*  

  • Benchmark your success – Only gold medallists from approved qualifying competitions are eligible to enter, meaning that the calibre of entrants is extremely high and diverse, the perfect arena to see where your product sits against other state-based gold winners.
  • Industry recognition – Champions will receive industry recognition at the annual awards event as a manufacturer of high quality and excellence in Australian dairy produce.
  • Promotional support – AGDA promotional campaign support, through traditional media advertising, radio, blogger engagement, events, and social media.
  • Retail awareness – Manufacturers may use the Award medal for a three year period from the announcement date in marketing, advertising, promotions and on packaging of the winning product. This clearly creates a point of difference for your product on shelf, positioning it as the ‘best of the best’ in the Australian dairy industry and providing consumers with an incentive to purchase.

*Some benefits may only apply to Champion/Grand Champion winning manufacturers. 

Key Details

Entries Close: Tuesday 1st September 2026
Entry Fee: $95 per Entry
Delivery Date & Time: Thursday 1st & Friday 2nd October 2026 – 8.30am to 4.00pm
Judging Commences: Tuesday 6th October 2026
Awards Presentation: Thursday 26th November 2026

 

Contact Information

Competition & Sponsorship For all general enquiries relating to the 2026 Australian Grand Dairy Awards including sponsorship please contact: coordinator@granddairyawards.com.au
Media & Presentation              For all media, digital and social media enquiries as well as the Awards Presentation to the 2026 Australian Grand Dairy Awards, please contact: Meg.dolphin@dairyaustralia.com.au

 

Awards

New Trophies for 2026

Champion Farmhouse Dairy Product *NEW*

Top scoring cow’s milk product across all categories (except class 17) that meets ‘Farmhouse’ criteria.

The inaugural Champion Farmhouse Product Award celebrates dairy products made entirely on-farm by producers who rear and milk their own cows and transform that milk into a finished product on their property. The award recognises excellence in farmhouse dairy production and the dedication, skill and care involved in managing every stage of the process, from herd to finished product.

Farmer Ambassador of the Year *NEW*

The Farmer Ambassador of the Year award will recognise a dairy farmer who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to promoting the Australian dairy industry through the Dairy Australia Farmer Ambassador Program.

Farmer ambassadors play a critical role in connecting Australians with the people behind their food, helping to increase understanding of modern dairy farming practices, animal care, sustainability, and the quality of Australian dairy products. The award is not only a celebration of these individuals it also reinforces the importance of authentic farmer-facing industry promotion in strengthening Australians’ connection to Australian dairy. Entrants will be assessed by a judging panel separate to product-based awards. 

Hall of Fame

Grand Champion Cheese

  • 2025: Prom Country Cheese – Inverloch Blue
  • Oct 2024: Dellendale Creamery – Churchill Rd Raclette
  • Feb 2024: Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese – Berrys Creek Oak Blue
  • 2023: Woombye Cheese Company – Woombye Blackall Gold

Grand Champion Dairy Product

  • 2025: Riverina Fresh – Lactose Free
  • Oct 2024: Bannister Downs Dairy – Double Cream
  • Feb 2024: Milani Minus Eight Degrees – Peanut Caramel Gelato
  • 2023: Milani Minus Eight Degrees – Crème Brûlée Gelato

Entry details

Is my product eligible to enter?

As the Australian Grand Dairy Awards represent the “best of the best”, not all products will be eligible for entry. Please read below to see if your product is eligible.

Eligibility for Award of Champion

Manufacturers that meet the following criteria will be eligible to enter their product and receive the award of Champion:

Criteria:

  1. All entered products must be produced in Australia from 100% Australian milk. 

  2. Products must be entered by their manufacturer. 

  3. All products must be available to be purchased in a retail capacity (e.g. a supermarket, food store or food market) and available for the consumer to take home. 

  4. Product must be sold commercially within the Australian retail market.  

  5. The product must have won a gold medal in the current year at one of the approved qualifying competitions during that year. See qualifying competitions for details of approved competitions. 

  6. Dairy products must be made in licensed and/or registered dairy premises. See food safety regulations below. 

  7. Trial or experimental batches not yet on the market are ineligible.

  8. Cheese exhibits should be provided whole if possible. 

  9. All exhibits entered will remain the property of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS NSW) or the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA), depending on which Agricultural Society is hosting.

  10. All products must clearly bear the exhibitors commercial label, including the products nutritional panel, ingredients list and the use by date. 

  11. After entries have closed exhibitors will receive labels issued by the RNA via email, which must be adhered to each entry prior to delivery. Please adhere to packaging carton also.

  12. All entries must comply with the requirements of the Australian Food Standard Code for both product and packaging and must include the products nutritional panel, ingredients list and a clearly stated use by date. For information on the Australian Food Standard Code, go to: foodstandards.gov.au

  13. Manufacturers are responsible for the submission of products and the costs associated with their delivery (full delivery details will be emailed after the close of entries).

Eligibility for Award of Grand Champion

There will be two Grand Champions presented at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards:

  1. Grand Champion Cheese
    Top scoring cow’s milk cheese across all classes.
  2. Grand Champion Dairy Product
    Top scoring cow’s milk dairy product across all dairy classes.

* Products entered into Class 10 and 11 (Goat’s, Sheep’s, Buffalo and Camel Milk Products and Cheeses) are ineligible to win Grand Champion.

*Please Note: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure product eligibility is correct, the Chief Judge retains the right to transfer product to a more suitable class.

Eligibility for Champion Farmhouse Product

A producer must confirm during entry that they meet all of the following criteria to be considered for this award:

  • Milk Origin: The producer must milk their own cows on their property as well as manufacture the eligible product.

  • On-Farm Production: The producer must manufacture the product themselves using milk sourced from their own milking operations. A minimum of 80% of the milk used in the producer's annual production must come from the producer’s own herd*.

*Own herd is defined by:

  • Animals are owned or under formal long-term lease (≥12 months)

  • Herd is actively managed by the entrant

  • Milk is produced on land owned or leased by the entrant

Product Scope

Eligible products include any cow’s milk dairy product or cheese entered into the competition other than Class 17 - Milk, which is both produced and processed on the same property.

Eligibility of Award for Farmhouse Ambassador of the Year

The Farmer Ambassador of the Year award will recognise a dairy farmer who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to promoting the Australian dairy industry through the Dairy Australia Farmer Ambassador Program.

Farmer ambassadors play a critical role in connecting Australians with the people behind their food, helping to increase understanding of modern dairy farming practices, animal care, sustainability, and the quality of Australian dairy products.

The award is not only a celebration of these individuals it also reinforces the importance of authentic farmer-facing industry promotion in strengthening Australians’ connection to Australian dairy. Entrants will be assessed by a judging panel separate to product-based awards.

Qualifying competitions

Please see below a list of our approved qualifying competitions:

State Royal Agricultural Shows

  • 2026 Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce Show

  • 2026 Royal Queensland Awards - Cheese and Dairy Competition and Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbet Competition

  • 2026 Perth Royal Dairy Awards

  • 2026 Royal Adelaide Dairy Products Competition

  • 2026 Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards (DIAA Tasmanian Dairy and Ice Cream Awards)

  • 2026 Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards

Dairy Industry Association of Australia Awards

  • 2026 Dairy Industry Association of Australia Dairy Product Competition (WA)

  • 2026 Dairy Industry Association of Australia Dairy Product Competition (National and VIC)

  • 2026 Dairy Industry Association of Australia Dairy Product Competition (QLD)

  • 2026 Dairy Industry Association of Australia Dairy Product Competition (NSW)

*Please note: Competitions which could not run or occurred outside of the Australian Grand Dairy Awards dates were unable to be considered this year.

Classes

Please use this table below as a guide for what category your product will be judged. If you are unsure, please contact our office for more information. 

  • The Australian Grand Dairy Awards reserve the right to alter slightly or cancel classes if insufficient entries are received.  

Natural cheese class definitions 

  • Processed cheeses are NOT eligible.
  • Class 10 and 11 are the only classes that non-cow’s milk cheese can enter (goat, sheep and buffalo milk cheese).
  • In the case where two or more categories of cheese are combined in manufacturing e.g. Washed Rind Tilsit, Blue Brie etc, the key predominant feature of the cheese defaults the cheese to that particular class.  

Class Description
Class 1 - Fresh Unripened Cheese Cheese that is sold fresh and does not require maturation.

Includes Cottage, Feta, Cream Cheese, Quark, Mascarpone, Neufchatel, Ricotta, Fresh Stretched Curd Cheeses.
Labna is eligible but must not have oil or flavourings added.

Cheese dips/spreads do not qualify.
No flavoured products allowed. This includes oils, sweet or savoury flavours, herbs, and spices.
Class 2 - Fresh Stretched curd cheese Includes all fresh, Stretched Curd Cheeses. No flavoured products allowed. This includes oils, sweet or savoury flavours, herbs and spices.
Class 3 - White Mould Cheese Brie and Camembert types, including double and triple cream versions. Cheese that has as its principle surface growth a white mould, for example: Penicillium candidum.

Cheese submitted in this class with a significant washed rind component which alters the cheese from being principally a white mould cheese is not permitted. White mould cheese with a washed rind character being a very minor component of the surface are permitted.
Class 4 - Semi-hard/Eye-Cheese Includes cheese made with eye formation such as Edam, Gouda and Swiss types.

Includes other semi-hard cheese not included in other classes.
The moisture levels must be between 39 -48%.
No flavoured products allowed.
Class 5 - Cheddar Cheese Includes all Cheddar, Red Leicester, Double Gloucester, Cheshire.
No flavoured products are eligible.

Club cheese and bulk cheese is not eligible.
Class 6 - Hard Cheese Includes Parmesan, Romano, and Pecorino types.
Other hard cheese not included in other classes, with moisture levels below 35%.
Timeline

All eligible manufacturers will be sent an invitation to enter by August 2026, once all details have been collated from qualifying state competitions. The invitation will prompt you to enter products which have won a gold medal at any of our approved qualifying shows. Once we have received your entry, we will send you an entry kit with accompanying materials that are needed to send your products to the competition judging, including a delivery “how to”, class and product ID labels which you will need to adhere to the products you are submitting for entry.

Please note, products that do not arrive on delivery days will not be eligible to be judged.

Key entry dates

Tuesday 1 September 2026

Entries close for all Qualifying Competitions.

If your entries are not received by 1 September from the eligible competitions, your gold medal entries will be eligible for the 2027 Australian Grand Dairy Awards.

Judging dates

Judging will take place at Exhibition Building Gallery, Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace QLD 4006.

  • Tuesday 6 October 2026
    First round of Cheese and Dairy products.
  • Wednesday 7 October 2026
    Dairy Products
  • Friday 9 October 2026
    Cheese products.

Elimination of Possible Bias

It is expected that the integrity and independence of the judging panel will be beyond question; however some competitors may question their product being judged by a commercial rival. To overcome possible bias the following measures will be adopted:

  1. The panel of a minimum of 10 judges will score the products, with the highest and lowest scoring points being eliminated.

  2. Products will be removed from any identifiable packaging prior to judging or have labels covered.

How much product do I supply?

Key criteria for sending entries:  

  • Exhibits to be submitted to one class only e.g. a cheese with both blue mould and washed rind may be submitted in one class only.

  • Exhibits must be submitted as offered for commercial sale and must be submitted in the package size that won at the qualifying competition.

  • Products that do not arrive on delivery days will not be eligible to be judged.

  • Manufacturers are responsible for the submission of the products and the cost associated with their delivery (full delivery details will be emailed once entries close). 

Cheese & Butter Classes

Pack Size/Weight

Units Required

Under 250g

4

250g – 1.9kg

2

2kg - 3kg

1

Over 3kg

0.5-1

 

Ice Cream, Dairy & Gelato Classes

Pack Size/Weight

Units Required

Under 500ml

4

500ml – 2.5L

2

2.5L - 4L

2

Over 4L

1

 

Milk, Specialty White Dairy Drink & Flavoured Dairy Drink Classes

Pack Size/Weight

Units Required

Under 200ml

6

200ml – 600ml

4

Over 600ml

3

 

Cream Classes

Pack Size/Weight

Units Required

Under 200ml

4

200ml – 600ml

3

Over 600ml

2
What will I receive in my entry kit?
Shortly after the close of entry date you will receive an email including all relevant details regarding product delivery instructions, product quantities and labels which are to be attached to each product being submitted. Each eligible product you have entered will receive labels to be attached, along with a guide on how to use the labels. When entries arrive, the Chief Steward will be marking each product off and organising the product into the appropriate class for judging, please ensure all labels are attached in order for your product to be judged. 
When can I share the good news?
The Australian Grand Dairy Award winners will be announced at a presentation event in Melbourne on Thursday the 26th November 2026. Tickets will be available in October, and all entrants and industry friends are warmly encouraged to join us for this special evening of celebration, connection, and industry recognition. We invite you to share the journey, promoting your entry being sent off to judging, the anticipation of waiting for the news and of course the eventual outcome! Please reach out to coordinator@granddairyawards.com.au.