Bay of Plenty butchers have cleaned up at this year’s Dunninghams Great New Zealand Sausage Competition, a national contest that attracted a record 869 entries.

Tauranga’s Kiwi Fresh Meats was among the region’s standout performers, winning a Category Champion title for its KFM Chilli Cheese Griller and a gold medal for its KFM Chilli Mutton Dhania Mint sausage.

Blackforest Gourmet Butchery, also in Tauranga, claimed Category Champion honours for its Weisswurst sausage, while Mount Butchery earned gold for its Pure Pork entry, a statement from Retail Meat New Zealand said.

Blackforest Gourmet Butchery's winning Weisswurst.

Pāpāmoa’s Thomson’s Butchery secured a gold medal for its San Choy Bao sausage and silver for its Korean Bulgogi, while Pak’nSave Cameron Rd won gold for its Cheeseburger sausage.

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