In order to promote the consumption of dairy products, to surprise Latvian consumers with new, unusual flavours and to bring together the experience of dairy companies and masters, the winners of the dairy products and packaging competition were announced and awarded during the opening ceremony of the international food fair Riga Food 2020 on 9 September.

This year, the competition for made in Latvia dairy products was held in the following categories: Skimmed milk curd with fat content up to 0.5%, the 2019/2020 new dairy product and the 2019/2020 packaging for a new dairy product.

"Dairies have once again surprised consumers with new, unprecedented combinations of flavours and aromas. Companies have proven over the years that we can be creative and innovative. Combining master skills, ingenuity and the best ingredients, every single company managed to surprise us, therefore, we invite people not only to taste the products from this great list of winning products, but also to choose high-quality made in Latvia dairy products, thus supporting our dairy farmers and processors,” points out the chairman of the Latvian Dairy Committee Jānis Šolks.

Judging panel

This year’s judging panel included a head of the competition jury commission, a leading researcher of the Department of Food Technology, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, professor, Dr. sc. ing. Inga Ciproviča, LPCS board chairman Jānis Šolks, a senior expert at the Quality Department of the Food Safety, Animal Health and Environmental Research Institute BIOR Inese Ozollapa, Director General at the Food and Veterinary Service Māris Balodis, doctoral student at Riga Stradiņš University, a dietician Lolita Neimane, a director of the Process and Quality Management Department at Maxima Latvija Dace Grava, a head of the Dairy Product Category at Rimi Latvia Marta Gernere, a chairman of the Latvian Packaging Association, member of the board of the World Packaging Organization, member of the European Packaging Institute Consortium Iveta Krauja, and a deputy director at Latvijas Zaļais punkts, environmental management project manager Laura Berga.

The first place in the category of the milk curd with fat content up to 0.5% and the Riga Food 2020 Gold Medal was awarded to the skimmed milk curd with fat content up to 0.5% produced by Straupe Dairy Cooperative (master Gunta Tetere); the second place and the Riga Food 2020 Silver Medal went to the skimmed milk curd “Valmiera” with fat content up to 0.5% produced by FOOD UNION (JSC Valmieras piens, master Aina Birnbauma); the third place and the Riga Food 2020 Bronze Medal went to the skimmed milk by skimmed milk curd with fat content up to 0.5% produced by JSC Limbažu siers (master Dace Rostoka).

Winners in the category “The 2019/2020 New Dairy Product”, the product group “Cheese”: the 1st place and the Riga Food 2020 Gold Medal was awarded to the cheese “Smiltene” produced by JSC Smiltenes piens (master Vita Puriņa); the 2nd place and the Riga Food 2020 Silver Medal went to the fresh cheese “Panīrs” produced by JSC Latgales piens (master Jūlija Ostapko); the 3rd place and the Riga Food 2020 Bronze Medal was presented to the fresh cheese “SierŠtelle” with hemp produced by SIA Malevss (master Solvita Roziņa).

Winners in the category “The 2019/2020 New Dairy Product”, the product group “Fermented milk products”: the 1st place and the Riga Food 2020 Gold Medal went to “Lakto. Rhubarb. Gooseberry” produced by FOOD UNION (JSC Rīgas piena kombināts, master Viktors Biziks); the 2nd place and the Riga Food 2020 Silver Medal was awarded to “Turkish Yogurt. Mango” produced by JSC Tukuma piens (technologist Sandra Firleja); the 3rd place and the Riga Food 2020 Bronze Medal was awarded to the Kefir with black plums and bran produced by JSC Smiltenes piens (master Vita Puriņa).

Winners in the category “The 2019/2020 New Dairy Product”, the product group “Sweet curd products”: the 1st place and the Riga Food 2020 Gold Medal was awarded to the curd cake with orange jam produced by JSC Smiltenes piens (master Vita Puriņa); the 2nd place and the Riga Food 2020 Silver Medal went to the curd mass with cranberries produced by JSC Limbažu siers (master Dace Rostoka); the 3rd place and the Riga Food 2020 Bronze Medal was awarded to the glazed curd snack with oats, linseed, hemp, quinoa and chia produced by JSC Tukuma piens (technologist Vita Poškus).

Winners in the category “The 2019/2020 New Dairy Product”, the product group “Ice cream”: the 1st place and the Riga Food 2020 Gold Medal was awarded to the chocolate ice cream with the addition of lingonberry in a chocolate waffle cone produced by SIA Rūjienas saldējums (master Sanda Gūte); the 2nd place and the Riga Food 2020 Silver Medal went to the passion fruit ice cream in white chocolate glaze produced by SIA Tērvete Food (master Sanita Vaičkus); the 3rd place and the Riga Food 2020 Bronze Medal was awarded to the fetaki cheese home ice cream produced by SIA Rāmkalni Nordeco (master Gundega Rūnika).

Winners in the category “The 2019/2020 Packaging for a New Dairy Product”: the 1st place and the Riga Food 2020 Gold Medal was awarded to the packaging of the sour milk drinks “Turkish Ayran”, 500 g, and “Turkish Yogurt. Mango”, 300 g, produced by JSC Tukuma piens; the 2nd place and the Riga Food 2020 Silver Medal went to the packaging of the Smiltene cottage cheese cake with orange, blueberry and sea buckthorn jam, 110 g, (3 types) produced by JSC Smiltenes piens; the 3rd place and the Riga Food 2020 Bronze Medal was awarded to the packaging of the drinkable yogurt “Valmiera. Blueberry-Lavender”, 290 g, produced by FOOD UNION (JSC Rīgas piena kombināts).

The competition for Latvian dairy products is held by the cooperative society Latvian Dairy Committee in cooperation with the International Exhibition Company BT 1, the Latvian Packaging Association. The competition is financially supported by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia and the Latvian Agricultural Organization Cooperation Council (LAOCC).

Riga Food – the major event of the food industry in the Baltics!

The international trade fair for food, beverages, food processing, technology and packaging, HoReCa equipment and services Riga Food 2020 takes place at Ķīpsala International Exhibition Centre in Riga, 9‒12 September. The exhibition also offers an extensive programme of events, demonstrations and competitions. Read more: www.rigafood.lv

Further information:

Zane Jonaite
Assistant to the Chairman of the Latvian Dairy Committee
Phone: +371 22035399
E-mail: info@piensaimniekusavieniba.lv

Aiga Kupre-Vociša
BT 1 PR Manager
Phone: +371 26591588
E-mail: aiga.vocisa@bt1.lv