The pair won gold in the 2017 Delicious Produce Awards last week.

“We were thrilled to once again be nominated to take part initially in the state awards,” Mrs Mackenzie said.

“We were fortunate enough to be awarded as the NSW State Producer of the year for our Whole Dressed Goose, as we were in 2016.

“However, this year being a gold medallist at the nationals was very exciting and a night we will never forget.”

Winners were announced at the annual ceremony last Monday, August 7, at a VIP industry event at QT Melbourne with some of Australia’s most renowned chefs and food industry leaders in attendance.

The awards are designed to celebrate the country’s most outstanding ingredients, inspiring and sustainable producers, farmers’ markets, innovators as well as regional and emerging chefs and regions.

State winners from across the four major categories [From the Dairy, From the Earth, From the Paddock and From the Sea] were judged by the national judging panel with all state winners considered for the overall awards.

“We pride ourselves on being able to grow such an amazing product in our U Goose lines and being able to appreciate it for its seasonality and health benefits on this national stage was simply very, very humbling for us,” Mrs Mackenzie said.

She said there was also an ever-growing trend for the food industry in Australia.

“Paying attention to the true providence of the foods that we cook and eat and their innovation and how sustainable they are with minimal waste,” she said. 

“There are still so many untapped foods here in Australia which if someone was brave enough to pioneer and take sustainably to the market would see some amazing outcomes.”

U Goose was also nominated as a regional finalist in the 2017 New England North West Regional Business Awards in the categories of Excellence in Innovation and Excellence in Small Business. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Gunnedah on September 1.