Founded in 2002, the family-run business includes a shopfront on the Great Ocean Road and a small wholesale operation. The brand is widely known for pioneering unique flavours such as liquorice, black truffle and even Vegemite. Since 2008, Dooley’s Ice Cream has collected almost 350 gold and silver medals and continues to innovate and contribute to Victoria’s food offering.

Among the many other leading Victorian producers recognised at last night’s presentation dinner, held at the MasterChef studio in Ascot Vale, the Victorian Chamber would like to congratulate Torquay based family owned sourdough artisan bakery, Zeally Bay Sourdough on being awarded the Champion Australian Grains and Pulses Trophy and joint winner of the Champion Australian Organic Product Trophy.

The RASV also awarded 20 Consistency of Excellence awards to producers whose products have won an AFA gold medal for three consecutive years, with an impressive 12 awards given to Dooley’s Ice Cream for its ice cream and gelato.

Earlier this year, the Victorian Chamber released its Agribusiness Taskforce report, Harvesting Growth for Victoria, which makes a number of recommendations in six areas key to the future success of Victorian agribusiness:

• Increase quality, innovation and value capture across the agribusiness supply chain
• Grow new agribusiness markets
• Facilitate investment and increase output
• Fast-track infrastructure and reduce transport and distribution constraints
• Improve workforce skills, grow jobs and build business capacity
• Lower agribusiness costs and reduce red tape.

The Victorian Chamber is a big supporter of the AFA program, which aligns with our work to develop this vital sector and assist small and medium-sized businesses to grow domestically as well as to identify and capitalise on export opportunities. The Australian Food Awards offer broader opportunities for Australian producers to leverage success locally and internationally with a national seal of quality.