2026 NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards
Aotearoa’s standard for ice cream, gelato and sorbets continues to soar, with 79 gold medals awarded in the 2026 New Zealand Ice Cream and Gelato Awards - proof of the exceptional quality of this year’s competition.
Head Judge Geoff Scott, led a team of 30 food industry professionals sniffed, tasted and savoured the ice creams, gelatos, sorbets and dairy-free frozen products, supported by a dedicated team of stewards.
"One of the highlights this year was the incredible diversity of flavours. Alongside beautifully executed classics, judges tasted everything from cereal milk and garlic bread gelato to exciting internationally inspired flavour combinations., " Geoff said.
MEDAL WINNERS 2026
AMERICOLD PREMIUM FLAVOURED ICE CREAM
Gold Medals
Kohu Road Banana Ice Cream
Kohu Road Black Sesame Ice Cream
Kohu Road Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Kohu Road Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream
Lewis Road Creamery Chocolate Truffle with Ganache
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Much Moore Boysenberry Ripple Ice Cream
New Zealand Natural Boysenberry Dream
Patagonia Chocolates Mascarpone Cheese & Fruits of the Forest
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Natural Butterscotch
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Tiramisu Ice Cream
Silver Medals
Appleby Farms Boysenberry and Lemon Ice Cream
Appleby Farms Kiwifruit Pavlova Ice Cream
Appleby Farms Strawberries and Cream Ice Cream
Lewis Road Creamery Burnt Butter and Caramel Swirl
Motueka Creamery Peach and Yuzu Ice Cream
Motueka Creamery White Chocolate and Raspberry Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Much Moore Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Much Moore Salted Caramel Seduction Ice Cream
New Zealand Natural Chateau Peach & Raspberry
New Zealand Natural Kilinchy Gold Sea Salt Caramel
Patagonia Chocolates Coconut Stracciatella
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Hokey Pokey Ice Cream
Subi and Brother Sitaphal Shreekhand Cheesecake Ice Cream
Bronze Medals
Appleby Farms Mint with Belgian Chocolate Ice Cream
Motueka Creamery Hokey Pokey Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Premium Creations Chocolate Cookies & Fudge Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Premium Creations Limonata Cheesecake Ice Cream
New Zealand Natural English Toffee
New Zealand Natural Kilinchy Gold Maple Syrup & Walnut
Patagonia Chocolates Banana Split
Patagonia Chocolates Hazelnut Cremino
The Gelato Workshop Ferrero Rocher Gelato
BONSON PACKAGING CLASSIC FLAVOURED ICE CREAM
Gold Medals
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Awesome Salted Caramel Seduction Ice Cream
Silver Medals
Deep South Mango Ripple Ice Cream
Deep South Machaccino Ice Cream
Deep South Vanilla Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Awesome Hokey Pokey Ice Cream
Bronze Medals
Deep South Hokey Pokey Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Awesome Strawberries & Cream Ice Cream
Patagonia Chocolates Dulce de Leche
INVITA CLASSIC VANILLA ICE CREAM
Gold Medal
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Premium Vanilla Ice Cream
Silver Medal
New Zealand Dairy Dessert Company Limited Classic Vanilla Ice Cream
Bronze Medal
No bronze medals awarded
INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS AND FRAGRANCES (IFF) PREMIUM VANILLA ICE CREAM
Gold Medals
Appleby Farms Madagascan Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Kohu Road Pure Vanilla Ice Cream
Motueka Creamery Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co Premium Creations Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Silver Medals
Kilinchy Gold Pure Vanilla Bean
Lewis Road Creamery Three Vanillas
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream CoAwesome Vanilla Creamy Ice Cream
Bronze Medals
No Bronze Medals awarded
RD2 INTERNATIONAL BEST OF FUSION
Gold Medals
Appleby Farms Salted Lemongrass Ice Cream
Blue Cockatoo Fried Walnut, Miso Caramel, Gisborne Yuzu
Charlies Gelato Chilli Chocolate Gelato
CrocShake Spiced Plum and Pinot
CrocShake Miso Caramel
Joylato Green Mango Sorbet
Joylato Salted Caramel Popcorn Gelato
Kohu Road Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream
Little 'Lato Mexican Hot Chocolate Gelato
MooMii Gelato Yangmei & Umeshu Sorbet
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Awesome Salted Caramel Seduction Ice Cream
Red Velvet Gelato Paan Kaju Katli Royale
Takapuna Beach Café Ginger
The Chill Lab - Sip'n Chill Black Sesame Soy Caramel
Silver Medals
Farm House Café Tomato & Basil Sorbet
Farm House Café Burnt Pineapple & Thyme Sorbet
Farm House Café Ready Salted Chips & Kiwi Onion Dip Gelato
Kohu Road Jasmine Tea Ice Cream
Kohu Road Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Little 'Lato Salted Butterscotch gelato
Little 'Lato Raspberry Lemon & Thyme Sorbet
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Much Moore Boysenberry Ambrosia Yoghurt Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co Awesome Cereal Milk Ice Cream
Bronze Medals
CrocShake Peach and Ginger
Farm House Café Manuka Honey, Pear, Blue Cheese & Walnut Gelato
Harlow Gold Gelato Peanut Butter Popcorn
Lewis Road Creamery, Burnt Butter and Caramel Swirl
Lewis Road Creamery, Double Mint and Dark Chocolate
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Marvels Mango Passion Yoghurt Smoothie Ice Cream
BIG CHILL EXPORT ICE CREAM
Gold Medals
Appleby Farms Salted Lemongrass Ice Cream
Appleby Farms Licorice Ice Cream
Silver Medals
Motueka Creamery Peach and Yuzu Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Green Tea Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Vanilla Ice Cream
Bronze Medals
Appleby Farms Mandarin Ice Cream
Ginellis Pistachio Puro Gelato
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Mango Ice Cream
DAVIS FOOD INGREDIENTS AND PROVIDA, LOW-FAT
Gold Medals
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Wonders Strawberry Low Fat Yoghurt Ice Cream
New Zealand Natural Zilch Chocolate
Silver Medal
No Silver Medals awarded
Bronze Medal
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Much Moore Awesome 4some Yoghurt
SENSIENT TECHNOLOGIES GELATO
Gold Medals
Blue Cockatoo Salted Pistachio Cremino
Charlie’s Gelato Pinky Bar Gelato
Cuore Di Gelato Gianduia
First Mates, Last Laugh Black Liquorice
Joylato Biscoff Gelato
Joylato Blueberry Yoghurt Gelato
Joylato Creme Brulee Gelato
Joylato Ferrero Rocher Gelato
Joylato Rose & Lychee Gelato
Joylato Sicilian Pistachio Gelato
Farm House Café Biscoff Gelato
Gelato Roma Salted Caramel Gelato
Little 'Lato Cookies & Cream Gelato
Little 'Lato Peanut Butter & Nutella Gelato
Little 'Lato Pistachio Gelato
MooMii Roasted Banana, Caramel & Walnut
MooMii Tarragon Cream Cheese & Cherry Ripple Gelato
The Chill Lab - Sip'n Chill Jasmine Tea & Jasmine Rice Gelato
The Chill Lab - Sip'n Chill Ube, Purple Rice and Taro
Silver Medals
Blue Cockatoo Boysenberry & Apple Crumble
Blue Cockatoo Mango Lychee Coconut
Blue Cockatoo Strawberries & Cream
Charlie’s Gelato Passionfruit Ripple Gelato
Farm House Café Peanut & Caramel Gelato
Farm House Café Sin in a Bun Gelato
First Mates, Last Laugh Espresso Rum & Raisin Gelato
Gellicious Gelato Vanilla Bean Gelato
Joylato Choco Earl Grey Tea Gelato
La Bella Gelato Kesar Pista
La Bella Gelato Pistachio Gelato
Little 'Lato Summer Pavlova Gelato
MooMii Ceylon Mānuka Pecan
MooMii Peanut & Caramel Gelato
Takapuna Beach Café NZ Boysenberry Gelato
The Gelato Workshop Pistachio Gelato
Bronze Medals
Blue Cockatoo Catlins Hazelnut and Milk Chocolate Gelato
Charlie’s Gelato Blueberry Gelato
Gellicious Gelato Sea Salt Caramel Gelato
Little 'Lato Mint Chocolate Fudge Gelato
MooMii Gelato Ginger & Raspberry Ripple Gelato
Takapuna Beach Café Sticky Date
DKSH PERFORMANCE MATERIALS NZ, CHOCOLATE GELATO, SORBET OR DAIRY-FREE CHAMPION
Gold Medals
Joylato Ferrero Rocher Gelato
Kerikeri Gelato, Chocolate
Patagonia Chocolates Dark Chocolate Sorbet
Silver Medals
Charlies Gelato Dark Chocolate Gelato
Bronze Medals
Cuore Di Gelato Dark Chocolate & Orange
Joylato Dubai Chocolate Gelato
Harlow Gold Gelato Chocolate Malt
DKSH PERFORMANCE MATERIALS NZ, CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM
Gold Medals
Kohu Road Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Roasted White & Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Premium Creations Chocolate Cookies & Fudge Ice Cream
Silver Medals
No silver medals awarded
Bronze Medals
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Premium Creations Salted Chocolate Half Baked Brownie Ice Cream
FORMULA FOODS OPEN CREATIVE ICE CREAM, GELATO OR SORBET
Gold Medals
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Miso Macadamia
Sensient Technologies Mont Blanc
Subi and Brother, Dulche de Letche Kheer
Silver Medals
Sensient Technologies Mango & Peanut Chili Crisp Brittle
Little 'Lato Rashuns Chips Gelato
Little 'Lato Garlic Bread Gelato
Little 'Lato Kiwifruit & Aloe Vera Sorbet
Subi and Brother Tandoori Charred Pineapple Ice Cream
Bronze Medals
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Weetbix & Brown Sugar
INFRUIT SORBET
Gold Medals
Charlies Gelato, Plum Sorbetto
Gelato Roma Passionfruit Sorbet
Gian's Raspberry & Roasted Oolong Sorbet
Joylato Lemon Sorbet
Kohu Road Mango Sorbet
Little 'Lato Chocolate Mint Sorbet
Little 'Lato Mango Passionfruit Sorbet
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Boysenberry Sorbet
The Real Fruit Sorbet Company Kiwi Sorbet Green
Silver Medals
Appleby Farms Guava Sorbet
Gellicious Gelato Chocolate Sorbet
Joylato Strawberry Sorbet
Kohu Road Strawberry Sorbet
Little 'Lato Little 'Lato Fruit of the Forest Sorbet
Motueka Creamery Watermelon and Lime Sorbet
Patagonia Chocolates Raspberry Sorbet
Patagonia Chocolates Apricot Sorbet
The Chill Lab - Sip'n Chill Lychee and Rose Gelato
The Real Fruit Sorbet Company Kiwi Sorbet Gold
Bronze Medals
CrocShake Lychee and Lime Leaf
Gellicious Gelato Raspberry Sorbet
Gellicious Gelato Passionfruit Srbet
Joylato Green apple sorbet
Joylato Feijoa Sorbet
New Zealand Natural Lemon Sorbet
New Zealand Natural Mango Sorbet
Patagonia Chocolates Boysenberry, Strawberry and Apple Sorbet
The Real Fruit Sorbet Company Feijoa Sorbet
The Real Fruit Sorbet Company Kiwi Sorbet Red
TETRA PAK DAIRY-FREE
Gold Medals
First Mates, Last Laugh Coconut Hokey-Pokey
MooMii Gelato Golden Mango
New Zealand Dairy Dessert Company Limited, Little Island Chocolate Frozen Dessert
Silver Medals
Farm House Café Macademia Milk Mango
Little 'Lato Coconut Raspberry & Pomegranate Vegan Gelato
Bronze Medals
Gellicious Gelato Mango Lassi Gelato
Little 'Lato Strawberry Coconut & Rose Sugar Vegan Gelato
Much Moore Vegan Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
New Zealand Dairy Dessert Company Limited, Little Island Vanilla Frozen Dessert
PURE New Zealand Ice Cream, Mango & Coconut Gelato
NZICA INNOVATION
Bronze Medal
Much Moore Ice Cream Co, Awesome Christmas Duo Ice Cream
NZICA KIDS' CHOICE
Gold Medals
Deep South, Mango Ripple Ice Cream
Patagonia Chocolates Vanilla & Cookies
Silver Medal
Moosies Blue Moon
