The Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) celebrated the second Australian Charcuterie Excellence Awards (ACEA), awarding 328 Gold, 187 Silver, and 96 Bronze medals, and 36 Category Champions.
In partnership with Australian Pork Limited, AMIC welcomed manufacturers of Australian smallgoods products to partake in the competition, and attracted 725 entries across ten classes and 40 categories in a points-based judging criteria.
National Smallgoods Council chair and head judge Franz Knoll said throughout the ACEA, smallgoods makers were being prepared for entry into the German 2025 IFFA competition, respected as the highest recognition for smallgoods making.
“We will be bringing our unique Australian process for judging including cooking of products, and for the first time, fresh sausages will be judged by the German panel of Fleischmeisters,” said Knoll.
Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Patrick Hutchinson said this year saw double the entries.
“Our entrants’ pursuit of excellence is the cornerstone of our industry's growth and success. This year saw double the entries, showing how important the awards program is in recognising excellence within the flourishing smallgoods industry,” said Hutchinson.
Australian Pork Limited CEO Margo Andrae said the awards shone a light on hard-working smallgoods makers across the country.
“Recent research conducted shows Australian shoppers are seeking out locally grown products more than ever. We look forward to seeing all these wonderful products on shelves, and seeing our winners compete on the global stage at World IFFA,” said Andrae.