La Casa Del Formaggio Wins Two Top Trophies at DIAA National Awards
May 2013

L: Trophies in our boardroom R: Gerardo Cicchiello, our founder, proudly showing off our new trophy

On May 9th at the DIAA Dairy Product Competition Awards Gala held in Melbourne La Casa Del Formaggio picked up two trophies, one for their Mascarpone 250g as the Highest Scoring Non-Cheddar Cheese, and the other for the Ricotta 500g earning Manufacturing Manager Frank Portella the “Champion Cheesemaker” honours. The Ricotta 500g beat the likes of cream cheeses, cheddars and blue cheeses to win this title, not just fresh cheeses.

The company entered 6 categories for their Bocconcini, La Bianca Mozzarella-style, Haloumi, Mascarpone, and Ricotta products and came home with a medal for each product entered. Their medal count totaled 2 golds and 4 silvers.

“It was such an honour to win these awards, which are a true testament to our entire management and staff who maintain the utmost level of quality across all products,” said Frank Portella. “Here at La Casa we keep true to our traditional techniques and as a small family company it is humbling to score so well against corporate national brands.”

The two cheeses earned the following Top Trophies:

• Mascarpone 250g Highest Scoring non-Cheddar Cheese in classes 21 and 25-34, Savana Bio Systems Perpetual Sheild
• Ricotta 500g Champion Cheesemaker, Shamrock Food Recruitment Trophy

These products were also awarded Gold Medals:

• Mascarpone 250g Class 30, Soft Cheese, Not Mould Ripened, Not Flavoured
• Ricotta 500g Class 40, Champion Cheesemaker

Other La Casa Del Formaggio products received silver medals, including:

• Haloumi Class 20, Haloumi
• La Bianca Mozzarella-style Cheese 350g Class 19, Stretched Curd, Pizza Type
• Traditional Bocconcini 220g Class 18, Pasta Filata Cheese
• Ricotta 500g Class 31, Fresh Ricotta, not baked

La Casa Del Formaggio's Fresh Salad Bocconcini with Mediterranean Marinade wins Most Innovative Product Gold Medal
February 2013

La Casa Del Formaggio’s Fresh Salad Bocconcini with Mediterranean Marinade in a 200g packsize has received the Gold Medal in the CLASS: 49 Most Innovative Product and/or Package of any Variety of Cheese category at the Sydney Royal Dairy Awards on February 15th, 2013. This product achieved the criteria to be honored with the gold medal in areas of packaging, innovation and product quality.

A completely new and novel product to the marketplace, La Casa Del Formaggio’s Fresh Salad Bocconcini with Mediterranean Marinade combines bocconcini in its freshest form (preserved in brine) with an herb marinade sachet placed on top of the lid from Queensland-based Gourmet Gardens. The consumer only needs to tip the brine, add the marinade and shake or stir to combine for instant antipasto or a flavourful addition to a salad or entrée. Salad Bocconcini are a fresher, healthier style of marinated cheese. The Mediterranean marinade consists of garlic, capsicum, basil and oregano. This product was launched with two companions:

• Fresh Salad Bocconcini with Basil Marinade
• Fresh Salad Bocconcini with Italian Herb Marinade

“By offering a fresh herb marinade, we are enhancing our much loved bocconcini with the clean, delicious flavours of fresh herbs. As we all know, herbs and cheese are a match made in heaven and Fresh Salad Bocconcini with Mediterranean Marinade plays to the strength of this wonderful combination,” said Marketing Coordinator Lauren Llewellyn. “We are honoured and thrilled to receive this recognition from the Sydney Royal Show for our new product.”

Other La Casa Del Formaggio products received silver medals, including:

• Traditional Ricotta 1kg in Class 24: Ricotta Cheese, unbaked category
• La Bianca Mozzarella-style Cheese 350g in Class 31: Cheese, Mozzarella Stretched Curd category
• Traditional Bocconcini 220g in Class 30: Bocconcini category
• Mascarpone 250g in Class 32: Cheese, Mascarpone category

La Casa Del Formaggio wins 2 Top Trophies at 2012 South Australian Dairy Awards

La Casa Del Formaggio’s Ricotta in a 500g packsize has received the Top Gold Trophy in the “Class 9: Cheese, soft, fresh unripened” category at the South Australian Dairy Awards at the Adelaide Showgrounds on August 14th, 2012. This is the third consecutive year that the Top Gold Trophy for this category was bestowed upon this product. The La Casa Del Formaggio Ricotta was also honoured with a second trophy this year, which was The Food Processing Optimisation Trophy for Champion Manufactured SA Cheese.

“We are flattered and honoured to gain this recognition for the third year running,” said La Casa Del Formaggio Managing Director Claude Cicchiello. “This ricotta is still made using the same recipe my mum used almost 25 years ago. To not only have this product awarded Top Gold again, but to be named Champion Manufactured SA Cheese is truly humbling.”

The La Casa Del Formaggio Ricotta is a soft and creamy cheese with a delicate texture and a pleasant slight caramel flavour. The ricotta is a welcome addition to lasagnas, ravioli dishes, desserts, or pancakes, but it is also well suited for eating just as is. It is available across South Australia in independent grocers, continental delis, Central Market stalls, Coles and Woolworths.

The La Casa Del Formaggio Haloumi, Traditional Bocconcini, and Fresh Mozzarella all were awarded silver medals in the “Class 9: Cheese, soft, fresh unripened” category. The Piccantino cheese (fresh pecorino-style cheese with chilli flakes throughout) won a silver medal in the “Class 10: Cheese, flavoured” class.

South Australian Dairy Awards Bestows Top Gold Trophy Upon La Casa Del Formaggio 500g Ricotta For Second Year in a Row

On August 7th, 2011, La Casa Del Formaggio's Fresh 500g Ricotta was named the Top Gold Winner of the Class 13 Soft Unripened Category. It beat other various bocconcini, ricotta, fior di latte, pecorino and quark products with a score of 95 (the highest score awarded to any item in the competition). La Casa Del Formaggio's Traditional Bocconcini took home a Silver Medal in the same category and the Marinated Bocconcini scored a 94 to win a Gold in the Class 15 Marinated Cheeses category. All around a good showing for the company, and the Ricotta will be entered in the national competition next year.

Food Magazine 2011 Food Challenge Awards Finalist for Fresh Ricotta 500g in the Dairy Category

La Casa Del Formaggio's well-loved Fresh Ricotta was selected as a finalist for the Food Magazine 2011 Food Challenge Awards in the Dairy Category. This award recognizes the our Ricotta as innovative in the areas of ingredients, packaging, food safety, processing, export, marketing and sustainability measures. In the end Twisted Frozen Yogurt beat us out and took home the top prize. Althought we have won this award in 2009 for our Grande Bocconcini, we were still pleased as punch to be recognised again for another core product.

2011 Australian Grand Dairy Awards Finalist

La Casa Del Formaggio Full Cream Ricotta
View Large Certificate

Royal Adelaide Show and Dairy Industry Association of Australia

2010 South Australian Dairy Awards Winner

At the 2010 South Australian Dairy Awards Dinner held in Adelaide on 10 August, La Casa’s products excelled with Full Cream Ricotta winning Top Gold and Grande Bocconcini winning Gold in the ‘Soft, Unripened, Without Additives or Marinades Category.' La Casa’s Traditional Ricotta also won the Dairy Australia Trophy for Champion Soft Cheese Variety.

To read the full list of winners click here.

South Australian Premier’s Food Awards 2009
Winner of the KPMG Young Leader Award - Claude Cicchiello

On the 6th of November 2009 at the Adelaide Convention Centre, it was announced that La Casa Del Formaggio's Managing Director Claude Cicchiello was successful in winning the KPMG Yound Leader Award in the SA Premier’s Food Awards. Claude was up against a very worthy competitor, Sam Tucker, Managing Director of Tuckers Natural.

The KPMG Young Leader Awards reward individuals under 36 who have shown strong leadership and have contributed directly to the
growth of the SA food or beverage industry.

Visit the South Australian Premier's Food Awards 2009 Website here or click for photos and the full list of winners.

Photographs: Left to right; Claude Cicchiello on stage with Finalist Sam Tucker and Sponsor KPMG, The La Casa Del Formaggio Team (Left to Right Front Row; Jim Lovitt, Nick Vendetti, Mick Kelakios, Vince Salandra. Back Row; Andrew Barber, Vanna Orlando, Kirsty Jinnette, Berenice Lawrence, Laura Waterhouse, Abbas Gamar, Wayne Lyons, Claude Cicchiello), SA Food Awards Winners.

South Australian Premier’s Food Awards 2009
Finalist DTED New Product Award - La Casa Del Formaggio Grande Bocconcini

In October 2009, La Casa Del Formaggio was selected as a finalist in the South Australian Premier’s Food Awards in the DTED New Product Awards Category. La Casa Del Formaggio stood up against two other finalists at the awards gala dinner on November 6th: Pendleton Fine Foods with their Blood Orange Argumato Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Tuckers Natural with their Chocolate Dessert Cracker. Pendleton Fine Foods took home the award with their innovative new product. Congratulations!

Food Magazine 2009 Food Challenge Awards Winner for Grande Bocconcini in the Dairy Category

On July 29th at Doltone House at Jones Bay Wharf, it was announced that La Casa Del Formaggio's newly launched product Grande Bocconcini was selected as the winner for the Food Magazine 2009 Food Challenge Awards in the Dairy Category. This award recognizes the Grande Bocconcini as innovative in the areas of ingredients, packaging, food safety, processing, export, marketing and sustainability measures.

Entrepreneur Of The Years Awards Finalist 2008

In April 2008, Claude Cicchiello was nominated for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and went on to become a finalist. The Entrepreneur Of The Year awards recognize the men and women who excel at growing and sustaining market-leading businesses. They are pioneers and innovators.

SA Premier's Food Awards Finalist 2006

In October 2006, La Casa Del Formaggio was selected as a finalist in the coveted 9th Annual Premier’s Food Awards. This was due recognition for the hard work, commitment to excellence and continuous innovation displayed by the management and staff of La Casa Del Formaggio.