Records and resilience define the SA Dairy Championships

Agri-Expo this week welcomes the who’s who of the South African dairy sector to the 2026 South African Dairy Championships at Eensgezind near Durbanville. This 193rd edition marks a clean sweep of new records, with the highest number of entries, producers, judges and partners in the competition’s long history.

Record-Breaking Participation

What does it take to stage the biggest dairy judging in Africa? Try 1 227 products, 81 producers, 130 judges and 20 partners – all new records – and a dairy industry that keeps showing up, even under pressure.

“Across the board, these are the highest numbers we have ever seen,” says Breyton Milford, General Manager of Agri-Expo, which has hosted the championships since 1834. “It is not easy out there in the industry, yet the commitment to quality at this level speaks volumes and reflects the trust producers place in Agri-Expo and this platform.”

Judging Process And Milestones

Judging kicked off with milk and ice cream on Wednesday, 25 March, followed by a second day dedicated to cheese and butter on Thursday, 26 March. In a milestone moment, a record-breaking 700 cheeses were evaluated – the largest number of entries in this category to date. Judging concludes on Friday, 27 March, with yoghurt and fermented products taking centre stage.

Industry Recognition And Support

Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer, attended the judging to thank the judges personally and commend the championships’ longstanding contribution to building industry expertise, particularly in sensory evaluation training. He also noted ongoing international collaboration and plans to strengthen dairy excellence in the province further.

Chief judge Graham Sutherland says this year’s records come when the industry is navigating serious challenges. “Against the backdrop of the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, we commend dairy farmers for their resilience and determination to maintain milk production,” he says. “Equally, secondary processors deserve recognition for meeting additional requirements while continuing to produce an exceptional range of dairy products. The quality of entries remains consistently high and worthy of top accolades.”

Innovation In Judging

This year’s judging also incorporates new elements, including the trial of descriptor-based feedback in selected classes and refined judging techniques aligned with internationally recognised research, to support judges and provide more detailed feedback to producers.

Agri-Expo President Chris Fourie emphasises the broader value of participation in the judging: “It is about giving back to the industry, raising standards, driving innovation and ultimately taking the sector forward.”

Partner Support And Appreciation

Milford expressed gratitude to the industry partners supporting the SA Dairy Championships. “We sincerely appreciate the support of our platinum partners IMCD and DSM-Firmenich; our diamond partners Novonesis, SIG and Synercore; our gold partners Woolworths, Condio, Hollard, Checkers, IFF, Orchem and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture; our silver partners Mane, SPAR and Fruitique; and our bronze partners Agrana Fruit, Polyoak Packaging, Tetra Pak and Ecowize.”

Awards And Categories

Winners will be announced at the prestigious South African Dairy Awards on 23 April at Nederburg Wine Estate in Paarl. The championships features approximately 150 classes across cheese, milk, cream, yoghurt, butter, ice cream and fermented products. This year, new classes were introduced, including smoothies and condensed milk.

Class winners are named SA Champions, while products of outstanding quality are awarded the prestigious Qualité Mark of Excellence – the dairy industry’s highest honour. The overall top performer is crowned Product of the Year.