A love story: That’s Amore wins 11 medals

That’s Amore Cheese has won a remarkable eleven medals at the recent Dairy Industry Association of Australia (DIAA) Dairy Product Competition.

With results announced remotely ahead of the rescheduled Victorian Awards Luncheon in October, the renowned Melbourne-based cheese manufacturer won three gold medals – for Diavoletti, Fior di Latte and Burrata – as well as eight silver medals.

The competitions are judged by industry experts, all selected for their specific dairy product knowledge. Judging is based on the entries’ technical merit. For the products that win gold, the DIAA competition is a gateway to the Australian Grand Dairy Awards, which are held each year by Dairy Australia.

The Diavoletti is a provolina-shaped smoked cheese with a chilli-stuffed olive at its centre. It also took out the Flavoured Cheese Award at the Grand Dairy Awards earlier this year.

“The balance of the mild cheese, with salty olive and a kick of chilli, makes for a wonderfully unexpected taste sensation,” says That’s Amore Managing Director Giorgio Linguanti. “The name translates to ‘little devils’, which is fun.”

Creamy delights

The Fior Di Latte is a plump, soft cow’s milk mozzarella, extremely fresh and made the artisanal way. It has a high moisture content and mild delicate flavour.

That’s Amore’s Burrata is completely handmade. It has a mozzarella skin in a money bag style, filled with strips of stretched curd bathed in cream.

“I am so proud of our products,” says Linguanti. “We work so hard to create the very best cheese. So it is fantastic to receive this recognition. It spurs us on to keep creating!”

With everything that’s been going on, pandemic-wise, over the past few months, the awards have certainly given the whole That’s Amore team a lift.

“We’ve pivoted the business to be able to offer our products direct to consumers’ doors via our delivery service as well as supply to our hospitality customers,” Linguanti says. “We are excited to be able to announce so many medal-winners that both the general public and the hospitality trade can purchase.”

From go to whoah

Linguanti started That’s Amore Cheese in 2008, after arriving in Australia from Italy in 2004 without being able to speak a word of English. He began with just one product – Bocconcini Leaf. This cow’s milk mozzarella shaped into a flat sheet became a huge hit with Italian restaurants. The business soon added Burrata and Smoked Scarmorza to its repertoire. Since then, it has only continued to grow.

In 2010, That’s Amore took over a cheese factory in Melbourne’s Donnybrook. It then moved again in 2015 to a larger facility in Thomastown. The new premises also allowed for the opening of a delicatessen and cafe, where patrons can enjoy That’s Amore hot ricotta fresh from production. There’s a range of traditional Italian dishes and a wide selection of cheeses, cured meats and other speciality foods.

In 2016, the company approached the export market and now supplies cheese to more than 10 countries. Two years later, in 2018, That’s Amore Cheese launched sister brand Cannoleria by That’s Amore. It specialises in the traditional Sicilian dessert of cannoli – delicious tubes of golden pastry filled with That’s Amore ricotta.

Thanks to Linguanti’s passion and love for good cheese and fine food, That’s Amore has experienced exceptional growth. Today, the business has a team of 100 and makes more than 40 different types of cheese. These latest awards only build upon the company’s already established reputation as one of Australia’s best cheese manufacturers.

For more information about That’s Amore Cheese, head to the website.