🏆 Three Gold Medals. Nine Years. One Very Proud Moment.
This is one of those moments where I sit back and think—wow, I'm really proud of us.
GoodBugs has just been awarded three Gold Medals at the 2026 Outstanding Food Producer Awards. recognising our award-winning fermented foods in New Zealand.
And for us, this isn’t just a nice result.
It’s the first time we’ve ever received gold at this level.
We’ve entered these awards before, and while we’ve had some successes in the past, this is a bit of a bigger deal.
We’re now heading into our ninth year of business, and next year marks our 10-year anniversary. What started as a passion project—something I was doing on the side with friends—has slowly grown into my own business that now supports our family of 6. Daniel was able to leave his management accounting job in Dec 2022 and join me full-time, and together we’ve built a 'work from home' lifestyle we’re incredibly grateful for.
And none of it happens without you:-)
To everyone who has supported us, bought a jar, told a friend, stopped by at markets, or simply followed along, we genuinely appreciate it. This win belongs to all of us.
Our Award-Winning Fermented Foods (Gold Medal Winners)
Each of these products has its own story.
Kimchi Sprinkles
This one still makes me smile.
I thought I was a bit clever coming up with “kimchi sprinkles”… until I discovered another company in New Zealand had already had the same idea to freeze dry kimchi. Slight disappointment, but also validation that I was onto something.
What we’ve created, though, is our own version. Getting the texture right was everything. It needed to be light, crunchy, and usable in everyday food and in an easily dispensable vessel.
It’s become one of our most talked-about products, getting multiple mentions on Newstalk ZB with Mike Hosking and selling out in the process. Now it’s officially a Gold Medal winner.
Sweet As Honey Mustard Sauerkraut
This product came directly from our community.
I asked our followers on Facebook what new flavours they’d love to see and Honey Mustard was an intriguing possibility. Sweet As Honey Mustard Sauerkraut was born from those that idea.
It took a few iterations to get right, but it was worth it as it has quickly become our most popular sauerkraut. We’re especially proud to use local honey from Raglan's Hunt & Gather Bee Co., who we also see every week at the Cambridge Market. Buying local means a lot to us.
The judges loved the crunch, the texture, and the clean, vibrant finish—and so do we.
Kiss Me Kimchi
This one has been quite a journey with many iterations.
Back in 2018, we had just one original kimchi—our Ginger Ninja Kimchi. It’s a mild, traditional-style kimchi with a kraut-like texture, and it’s still loved today by those who prefer a gentler, more classic flavour.
Over time, we had lots of customer requests—some asking for a vegan version, others wanting more heat. Listening to that feedback led us to redevelop the recipe into what became our Kiss Me Hot Vegan Kimchi.
The result is a crunchy, punchy kimchi with a slow-building heat that really suits the New Zealand palate, while still keeping that fermented depth we love.
It’s now one of our most popular products, especially for simple everyday meals (I personally love it on eggs and bacon).
Interestingly, this product previously received a Silver Medal in earlier awards. After a small but important recipe refinement, it has now been awarded Gold—which makes this recognition even more meaningful.
🌱 A Small Business Still Doing Things Our Way
Even with this growth, we are still very much a small, family-run business literally working from our converted garage in a Hamilton suburb in the Waikato.
We don’t have big factory systems. We don’t have investors. And we’re not chasing world domination.
We do have constraints—especially because we insist on using spray-free and organic ingredients from local suppliers like Pirongia Mountain Vegetables and Tomtit Farms and Newstead Orchard wherever possible, and we refuse to compromise on quality.
But that’s how we want to operate. Small, intentional, and connected to our suppliers, our customers, and our community.
💚 Looking Forward
We’re proud of where we’ve come from and interested to see where things go next.
We’re part of a growing movement in New Zealand and around the world where fermented foods are becoming more mainstream again, and it feels like we’re only just getting started.
Next stop is the Champions Dinner on 19 May, and we’re looking forward to celebrating alongside some incredibly talented producers.
Congratulations to all the other winners this year. Out of more than 430 products judged by 25 expert food judges across Aotearoa New Zealand, we’re honoured to be included in the 157 award gold medals. You can check out all this years winners https://www.outstandingfoodproducer.co.nz/
From our little home-based fermentery in the Waikato to your table, thank you for being part of this taste adventure.
👉 Check out our Gold medal Bundle
Marea & Daniel
GoodBugs