The highly anticipated Dunninghams Great New Zealand Sausage Competition has unveiled the nation’s top sausages at a special awards evening held in Auckland.

Butchers from the Bay of Plenty region were among more than 60 producers nationwide to snag a medal for their culinary creations.

The top spot was taken out by Westmere Butchery in Auckland who beat over 800 other entries to be announced as the Supreme Winner with their Pork and Leek sausage which was praised by judges for its exceptional balance of flavour, texture, and quality ingredients.

This year saw fierce competition, with 808 sausages and mince products (meatballs and burger patties) submitted across 16 categories - 13 for sausages and three for mince. The competition, an annual celebration of craftsmanship and flavour, showcases the best from butchers and producers from every corner of the country.

The journey to supreme status was long and rigorous, with judging taking place in two stages. The first round of category judging was done over eight days with 34 panels of judges. Each panel consisted of one technical judge and two aesthetic judges. Entries were judged on their technical composition, aroma, appearance, texture, and, most importantly, taste.

The second stage of judging brought the top-scoring Category Champion-winning products to a supreme judging day, where they were rejudged to find New Zealand’s top sausage.

Well-known food writer and competition judge Kathy Paterson said, “The flavours Westmere Butchery used are a classic combination that works well together. They nailed the balance and seasoning, and the leek was perfectly cooked and tender, creating an excellent texture. The flavours of both the leek and the pork came through beautifully, resulting in a truly delicious sausage.”

Technical judge Brian Everton of Cabernet Foods added, “Technically, it stood out for how well-balanced and evenly distributed the ingredients were throughout the sausage. You could see the flavour, the grind, and the quality of the meat, which came together to create a winning combination.”

Judge Kathy Paterson on Supreme Judging Day.

The general public was also invited to taste and vote on their favourite sausage during a lunchtime ‘People’s Choice’ sausage sizzle. The top six highest-scoring sausages were tasted anonymously, with Mapari Meats in Mt Wellington, Auckland, claiming victory with their Venison Chorizo and taking home the People’s Choice Award.

In addition to awards for the Supreme Sausage and People’s Choice, Princes Street Butcher & Kitchen in Dunedin claimed the Dunninghams Choice Award for their Traditional Pork sausage. This award is given to the top-scoring sausage made with Dunninghams’ spice mix. Winners were also announced for each of the 16 individual categories. These results highlight the incredible range of New Zealand’s sausage-making talent and the growing appreciation for quality mince products.

The announcement of New Zealand’s top sausages, burger patties and meatballs couldn’t have been timed more perfectly, coinciding with Labour weekend and the nationwide ritual of preparing barbecues as summer approaches. As Kiwis dust off their grills, they now have a trusted source for New Zealand’s top snarlers, ensuring summer barbecues will be a sizzling success.

The Dunninghams Great New Zealand Sausage Competition is proudly supported by Dunninghams, Big Chill, Kiwi Labels, Multivac Handtmann and Pact Packaging.

The Bay of Plenty region medalists are:

Mount Butchery, Mt Maunganui, won gold for their Roast Lamb and Caramelised Onion sausage.

Thomson’s Butchery, Pāpāmoa, won gold for their BBQ Pork Belly & Cashew Dumpling sausage, Roast Lamb Honey and Cumin sausage, Pork Firecracker, and Pork Belly and Smoked Paprika and bronze for San Choy Bow and Chicken Burger Patty.

A full geographical list of the medal-winning sausages is available here