By Robyn Joubert
Pamella Dzindikwa, a 31-year-old dynamo from Puglia Cheese, was crowned the 2025 Hollard Game Changer at the South African Dairy Awards on 8 April in Durbanville – proving that passion, grit and cheese can take you a long whey.
The Hollard Game Changer Award, now in its second year and accompanied by a R50 000 cash prize, recognises young professionals who are making a meaningful impact in the dairy industry.
“I’m incredibly grateful for this recognition. I’ve had mentors who believed in me, and I hope to pass that on. The dairy industry has changed my life, and I believe it can do the same for others,” said Pamella.
Pamella began her journey at Puglia Cheese, a boutique cheese factory in Somerset West, as a cleaner nine years ago. Today, she is production manager. Her flair for spun cheeses like burrata has helped Puglia become a successful household brand and earn numerous awards at the SA Dairy Awards and the Aurora International Taste Challenge.
Under her watch, the company has expanded its product range to mature cheddar, montasio, taleggio, fontina and Manchego, as well as “Somerset”, a new cheese Pamella single-handedly developed from scratch.
It’s not just her technical skills that make Pamella a game changer. She’s a mentor to new cheesemakers, championing a culture of excellence and opportunity.
Andries Wiese, Hollard’s National Business Development Manager, said progress and development are essential for any industry. “With this award we believe we tap into the energy and skill of these incredibly diverse and talented young individuals and create a sustainable future for the dairy industry,” Wiese said.
This year’s Dairy Championships drew a record 1 110 entries from 77 producers, with a mascarpone with fig and pecan nuts, made by RFG Foods in Simondium for Woolworths, winning Product of the Year.
A panel of 103 judges from 47 companies named 114 products as SA Champions and awarded 30 products the dairy industry’s Qualité mark of excellence.
Also read:
Call for nominations: Agri-Expo seeks the next dairy industry game changer
SAFJA celebrates its graduates, award winners and stalwarts
Here’s the winner of the 2024 Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo of the Year award
