Fresh Choice Ōmokoroa picked up three medals, including silver awards for its Pure Beef and Traditional Boerewors sausages, while Edmund Rd Four Square in Rotorua and New World Te Puke also featured among the national medallists.
The awards were announced at a ceremony in Auckland on Wednesday night after judges assessed a record-breaking 869 entries from 126 sausage makers across New Zealand.
Auckland’s Mapari Meats was crowned Supreme Winner with its Birria Taco sausage, which judges praised for its Mexican-inspired flavours and broad appeal.
Judge Brian Everton said the standard of entries continued to rise each year.
Kiwi Fresh Meats’ KFM chilli cheese griller.
“You can see the care and pride producers are putting into their sausages, and that really comes through in the texture and all the technical aspects of making a great sausage.
“At this final stage of judging, it ultimately comes down to the combination of flavours and innovation.”
The results provide a nationwide guide to some of New Zealand’s best sausages as barbecue season approaches.
Category Champions
Blackforest Gourmet Butchery (Tauranga) – Weisswurst
Kiwi Fresh Meats (Tauranga) – KFM Chilli Cheese Griller
Gold Medals
Kiwi Fresh Meats (Tauranga) – KFM Chilli Mutton Dhania Mint
Mount Butchery (Mount Maunganui) – Pure Pork
Pak’nSave Cameron Rd (Tauranga) – Cheeseburger
Thomson’s Butchery (Pāpāmoa) – San Choy Bao
Silver Medals
Fresh Choice Ōmokoroa – Pure Beef
Fresh Choice Ōmokoroa – Traditional Boerewors
Kiwi Fresh Meats (Tauranga) – KFM Marmite and Cheese
Thomson’s Butchery (Pāpāmoa) – Korean Bulgogi
Bronze Medals
Blackforest Gourmet Butchery (Tauranga) – Smoked Bratwurst
Edmund Rd Four Square (Rotorua) – Pure Beef
Fresh Choice Ōmokoroa – Pure Pork
New World Te Puke – Premium Beef
Meat at The Beach (Whangamatā) – Real Beef
Medal tally
Tauranga/Mount Maunganui: 8 medals and two category champions
Ōmokoroa: 3 medals
Pāpāmoa: 2 medals
Rotorua: 1 medal
Te Puke: 1 medal
Whangamatā: 1 medal