Aussies to get some Kiwi sausage with Hellers expanding to Costco

Kiwi butcher Hellers is exporting its pre-cooked sausages to Australia. Photo/123RF

Australians are set to get a taste of Kiwi sausage with butcher Hellers jumping the ditch.

The New Zealand butcher is selling its pre-cooked 'chunky cheese' sausages into supermarket chain Costco after spending two years doing market research and tastings in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Chief executive John McWhirter said while the move was a small start, he was expecting it to increase Hellers' overall sales by 10 per cent.

"We're dipping our toe in the water," McWhirter said. "It's a big step and we wanted to ensure we got it right, an important part of that is understanding the market."

Hellers chief executive John McWhirter. Photo/supplied

McWhirter said Hellers is humble, but stands by its quality and taste.

The expansion follows the company winning the pre-cooked category of the Devro Great New Zealand Sausage category with its Classic Saveloys last month, adding to a number of other industry awards.

McWhirter said the initial expansion was part of the company's strategy to increase its footprint throughout Australasia.

"It's a logical commercial step," McWhirter said, "but we'll do it without losing our core values and family roots."