The Dairy Industry Awards Innovation

FAIR CAPE DAIRIES NAMED BEST INNOVATOR IN THE 5TH ANNUAL TDM INNOVATION AWARDS; Fair Cape Dairies Solar Switchover tops the shortlist for the TDM Innovation Awards 2019 honouring the best innovative and most cutting-edge product launched in the South African dairy market between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019. Follow #MilkMpo on Twitter, and @MilkProducersSA on Facebook to watch all the best MPO gala dinner moments of Wednesday, 9 October.

SANDRINGHAM, STELLENBOSCH – 10 October 2019 – The Dairy Mail announced Fair Cape Dairies’ Solar Switchover product as their 2019 Innovation Award winner during the MPO gala dinner on Wednesday, 9 October in the 5th Annual TDM Innovation Awards. Hailed as “the dairy industry’s highest innovation honour” by the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), the Innovation Awards, presented by The Dairy Mail (TDM), is a national award honouring excellence in dairy innovation. TDM’s panel of judges, who evaluates and selects the TDM Innovation Award winner, is comprised of dairy industry experts, including Milk SA’s programme manager of research and development, Dr Heinz Meissner, the President of the South African Society of Dairy Technology (SASDT), Stephan Steyn, and chief executive of the MPO, Dr Chris van Dijk.

“Fair Cape Dairies’ Eco-Fresh is the only ‘single-origin dairy brand’ in South Africa, which means that all their milk comes from cows on their own Fair Cape farm. And what this means is that the changes that they make to the sustainability of their farm’s operations pass directly to the consumer,” said Joel Sermon, Fair Cape Dairies. “Fair Cape Dairies has taken another massively innovative step towards sustainability, recently installing solar technology to ensure that all of their milking is done off-grid during daylight hours, lessening their reliance on ‘traditional’ power producers and reducing their carbon footprint. This award is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators.”

Fair Cape Dairies was honoured at the star-studded TDM Innovation Awards ceremony on Wednesday, 9 October, at the Standard Bank Conference Centre, Sandringham in Stellenbosch, where the winners had an opportunity to network with the South African dairy industry during the MPO gala dinner. Other finalists included DeLaval, GEA, and Woodlands Dairy.

ABOUT WINNER
Fair Cape Dairies is a family-owned business renowned for uncompromising quality and a commitment to ethical business practices.

Find the TDM Innovation Awards Online:
Website: www.mpo.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MilkProducersSA
Twitter: @MilkMpo

About the TDM Innovation Awards:
CELEBRATING INNOVATION since 2013. Designed to recognise and celebrate innovative and cutting-edge products launched in the South African dairy market between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019.

• Raise the company profile – shortlisted and winning entries are promoted to our readers all over the country, offering fantastic coverage.
• Proven knowledge – increasing the company’s reputation within the industry.
• Aligning with excellence – the TDM Innovation Awards are all about celebrating excellence.
• The winner receives a five-page spread in the December issue of The Dairy Mail (valued at over R60 000).

For more information:
Michelle de Lange
Editor, The Dairy Mail
tdmeditor@agriconnect.co.za
Cell: 079 162 6465

From left: Dr Chris van Dijk, Clarence Ackers, and Dr Ivan Meyer.

Clarence Ackers (Fair Cape Dairies) and Michelle de Lange (The Dairy Mail).

From left: Dr Ivan Meyer (Western Cape minister of agriculture), Sandra Berning (MPO Nedbank Stewardship Award winner), Dr Koos van Dijk (MPO Lifetime Achievement Award), and Clarence Ackers (TDM Innovation Award winner).