Every great result at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards (ICDA) begins long before judging day — it starts with the milk. Cheese destined for the awards is handcrafted with intention, drawing on the finest summer milk to lay the foundation for the best possible quality.
When entries open in March/April, the Technical Team begin planning which cheeses and classes will be entered. Each cheese is entered individually into its category, with descriptions and product information provided, and the associated costs invoiced back to site. Bridge Street typically submits 40+ entries into the ICDA each year.
A timeline and list are then created covering all entered cheeses, their maturation times, and optimal ages for flavour, texture, and appearance. This allows the team to work backwards and identify batches that will be in their prime condition on judging day.
Several sensory sessions are held by the Technical Team to determine the best batch of every cheese to send to the awards. At this point, the cheese is relatively young, so it's something of a guessing game as to how it will mature during travel and over the following month! Typically, a final sensory evaluation will be held just prior to packing to ensure the cheese is maturing as expected.
Cheese lists and quantities are then sent out to the planning and packing teams to assist with the collection of entries. Most entries must be submitted in unlabelled/unbranded packaging, which means hand wrapping each cheese separately from the packing lines. For our blues, this means hand wrapping whole 1kg and 3.5kg rounds, and for our larger firm cheeses, we cut 1-2kg units from the 20kg bulk block and vac seal them.
Each cheese is then labelled with a unique entry code provided by the ICDA — identifying the category entered and each individual cheese for the judging panel. The cheeses are each packed into separate cartons, with the entry codes, UK destination, and Trade Sample declaration displayed on the outside of each carton.
Throughout the process, the Bridge St Logistics Team works in close contact with the Technical Team — arranging the chilled truck journey from Eltham to the consolidation point in Auckland and preparing the relevant documentation to move the entries both domestically and internationally. Import permits, Export Health declarations, and Commercial Invoice documentation are all completed by the Technical Team for UK Customs. All paperwork must be completed with great care, as any incorrect information could result in a hold-up or a rejected pallet at customs.
At several points, the "master list" of cheese entries is re-checked to make sure nothing is missed and that all the correct quantities are present — no small task when you're dealing with 40+ unlabelled cheeses! All of this — sensory sessions, maturation timelines, packing coordination, customs paperwork, and international logistics — is managed simultaneously by a small team over several weeks.
The entry pallet leaves the site on a chilled truck bound for the Auckland consolidation point, three weeks before judging day. All New Zealand entries then leave the country together, 11 days before judging day. Throughout the journey, constant communication is maintained with both the transport company and ICDA organisers to ensure the entries arrive safely in the UK. From there, Customs receives and clears the cheese before it makes its final leg from London to Stafford.
Once at the ICDA Showgrounds, our cheese is staged alongside 4,500+ entries from 20+ countries. Judging is a full-day event, with judging panels made up of over 250 technical experts, buyers, retailers, chefs, and industry leaders.
Any medal wins are notified to Bridge Street overnight. The following day brings trophy presentations for the Champion Cheeses, with results again communicated overnight given the time difference between the UK and New Zealand. If we're lucky enough to take home one of the big prizes, interviews and announcements typically follow the next day.
Regardless of the results, the entire process is a testament to the expertise, dedication, and quiet hard work of a small team who take immense pride in putting New Zealand cheese on the world stage.