TWO very different food producers on the Range have been shortlisted in Delicious magazine's 2015 produce awards.

Mary Page of Glass House Gourmet Snails has been shortlisted in the Delicious awards. (Photo: Contributed)

Maleny's Cedar Steet Cheeserie has been nominated for its Buffalo Haloumi and A Love Supreme in the dairy category and Glass House Gourmet Snails has been nominated for their fresh, live snails in the earth category.

Cheesemaker Trevor Hart won the 2012 award and shortlisted each year since.

He said his cheese stood out because it was handmade to the highest standard.

He sources his buffalo milk from the Thompson's buffalo dairy at Witta.

"The buffalo milk is very sweet and delicate and it's also very fresh because it comes from a local source," he said.

Mr Hart supplies top restaurants across Australia as well as selling through the Maleny IGA and local farmers' markets.

Glass House Gourmet Snails is owned by Mary Page and Cliff Wilson.

Mr Wilson said the nomination came as a wonderful surprise.

"It's a pretty good acknowledgement I'd say, from Australia's top food magazine," he said.

"I'm pretty chuffed about the whole thing."

The business is growing with demand from restaurants on the Coast, in Brisbane and as far away as Adelaide.

Mr Wilson said most snails eaten in Australia were imported in tins.

"It's a product that's been eaten for thousands of years, it's the oldest known form of animal husbandry in the world and nobody's doing it," he said.

"The product is unique, it is a delicious flavour and you can serve in many different ways."

Close to 3000 entries nationally were nominated for the 2015 produce awards, with state judges narrowing the list to 139 finalists.

The finalists' produce will be blind tasted by a national panel of judges who decide the category winners.

The winners will be announced at an event in Sydney on July 27.

Glass House Gourmet Snails provides farm gate sales and tastings at 2102 Old Gympie Rd.

The business is in need of more snails and urges anyone with snails in their garden to get in touch.