Ashgrove Cheese Amaze Balls

By:
MacTavish West

Date:
24th July 2019

The Brief: Anne Bennett and the team at Ashgrove Cheese had invested in new technology to dry and “pop” cheese cubes, delivering a non-refrigerated, long shelf-life product, the first of its type in Australia. Ashgrove Cheese required assistance to brand and package the product, and to develop naturally flavoured variants.

The Action: Hazel undertook thorough research of the market, the product and the distillation process, and added in many learnings from her PhD in terms of optimising the extraction of flavours from botanicals into solvents like ethanol (i.e. gin production). The team brainstormed potential ingredients, and then got busy in the lab. The most promising gin formulae were blind taste-tested with a team of gin aficionados to ensure the gins Susie launched were at least as popular as mainstream and other award-winning Tasmanian gins. The Daly team invested in a gin still and a commercial facility, and MacTavish West trialled scale-up, matching organoleptics with lab samples.

“When I consider MacTavish West I think two things: professionalism and cutting-edge product development. I love the fact that MacTavish West is consumer and market-centric, solution-driven and willing to listen to suggestions. Above all – MacTavish West is responsive, fast and approachable enabling our business to shape and seize market opportunities”. Anne Bennett, Ashgove Cheese.

The Outcomes:

• Ashgrove Cheese Amaze Balls have been released in 6 variants:

• Cheddar Cheese

• Havarti Cheese

• Apple Cider Vinegar & Chive

• Pizza Supreme

• Salted Caramel

• Sweet Chilli & Sour Cream

Awards:

• Ashgrove Amazeballs Awarded runner-up Australia’s Best new retail product, 2018 Fine Food Awards.

• Watch this space for more award news.

 

www.ashgrovecheese.com.au