Big dairy win for Azzura Gelati

ICE cream maker Azzura Gelati has scooped 20 prizes at this year's WA Dairy Product Awards at the Sheraton Hotel.

The O'Connor-based business collected seven gold and five silver awards, four first places, was named champion in both the dairy dessert and ice cream categories, and was named platinum exhibitor, which is the highest aggregate of points won by an individual exhibitor.

The awards were hosted by the Dairy Industry Association of Australia, the industry's professional organisation, which was incorporated in 1986 following the amalgamation of the Australian Dairy Institute Inc and the Australian Society of Dairy Technology Inc.

Azzura Gelati proprietors Rey and Nick Odorisio said it was their commitment to using quality ingredients and continually developing new lines of desserts that gained the family owned business industry recognition.

"I guess we keep winning these awards because we have a focus on quality, our products are innovative and we use good, local products in all of our desserts," Mrs Odorisio told WA Business News.

She said her husband was very parochial and often sourced Western Australian ingredients for many of the business's Italian-style desserts, even though cheaper imported products were available.

During the past year, Azzura Gelati began exporting to Singapore, with up to six sea containers - or 12 tonnes of ice cream - shipped each week.

The business was established in 1986 and has grown to a team with more than 100 years of combined experience in producing ice cream, designer desserts, sorbets and cheesecakes.

Other WA Dairy Product Award winners include Casa Dairy Products, Mundella Foods, Bannister Downs Dairy Company, Kytren Goats Cheese, Borrello Cheese, and Challenge Australian Dairy.