The 2026 Melbourne Royal Food Awards are shaping up to be bigger than ever before, and this year will see the reintroduction of the Bread & Baked Goods category.

With a history dating back to 1874, the competition has long been a who’s who of the Australian food industry.

Commenting on the expanded 2026 program, Melbourne Royal Senior Manager Food & Beverage Awards Kirrily Waldhorn said the Awards continue to play an important role in recognising quality and supporting producers across the country.

“The Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards are about celebrating the producers shaping Australia’s food industry while also providing a trusted benchmarking platform that supports growth, innovation and excellence,” she said.

“The return of Bread & Baked Goods and Olive Oil categories, alongside the introduction of the Champion Chilli Preserve Trophy, Apprentice Butcher Category and Champion Australian Independent Cheesemaker, [shows] we’re continuing to evolve the program in line with industry demand and emerging trends, providing even more opportunities for producers at every level to showcase their craftsmanship and be recognised for the incredible quality and diversity of Australian food production.”

As one of the country’s largest and longest running food benchmarking programs, the Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards inspire and celebrate excellence in food production, providing producers of all sizes – from boutique artisan makers to large-scale commercial operations – the opportunity to receive blind judging, industry recognition and valuable market credibility.

Each entry is blind tasted and assessed against strict technical and sensory criteria by an esteemed panel of Australia’s most respected food producers, chefs, retailers, food technologists, educators, writers, and recipe developers.

Entries for the Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards are open until June 26, 2026.