The Expleo team of father-son duo Shawn and William Nicholas alongside Dylan Douglas
Waipā butchers snagged gold medals at the Great New Zealand Sausage Competition awards in Auckland last week.
Pak’n Save Te Awamutu won the top prize in the beef category for their pure beef sausages and Artisan butchery Expleo were rewarded for their frankfurters.
Three Hamilton butchers were also finalists while Matamata-based Meat Matas Butchery won gold for their beef and blue cheese as well as honey and bacon sausages.
Shaylim Palmer (from left), Callum August, Harvey Fletcher, Brad Gillespie and Cody Burbery in store with their award winning sausages. Photo: Supplied
“We sent in our most popular sausage which we sell over 300kg of each week and my Nana tells me off when we run out in store, so they must be pretty good,” Pak’n Save butcher Brad Gillespie said.
“It is a massive achievement to get a medal in this competition.”
Gillespie said the awards capped off an amazing year for their butchery in competitions.
“We were fourth and fifth in New Zealand butcher wars; fifth placed young butcher in the world, Waikato regional young butcher of the year winner, Waikato apprentice butcher of the year winner, New Zealand apprentice of the year runner up, New Zealand master butcher team of the year champions, and now a gold medal in the Great New Zealand Sausage Competition.”
Entrants sent their sausages to the judges at Retail Meat New Zealand.
Pak’n Save Te Awamutu butchers Shaylim Palmer (back – from left) and Brendon Alexander (butchery manager), Callum August. Cody Burbery (back – from left) and Brad Gillespie. Photo: Retail Meat NZ
“They judged the raw product, then chef judges judged them on the cooked product.”
Gillespie said quality ingredients were the secret to their success.
“Quality beef broken down from carcass instore makes a massive difference when making sausages.”
Hundreds took to Expleo’s Facebook post celebrating the butchery’s success.
“I’d say it’s been a pretty surreal journey,” Expleo’s William Nicholas said.
“All the hard work that’s gone into building Expleo to what it’s become today and to come away with results like these, were all absolutely stoked.”
The Expleo team of father-son duo Shawn and William Nicholas alongside Dylan Douglas (right) won the award for best frankfurter. Photo: Retail Meat NZ
