Rotorua supermarket wins best bacon prize

BEST BACON: New World Westend head butcher Callum Sutherland is "stoked" their bacon has scooped up two prestigious awards. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

You can't beat the taste of juicy, greasy, salty, smoky, mouth-watering bacon - especially when it's from award winning New World Westend in Rotorua.

The Rotorua supermarket has just scooped a gold and silver award for their tasty bacon in the 100 per cent New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards.

New World Westend is the only supermarket to have won an award this year and is the only company from Rotorua to have picked up a prize.

Their middle-eye bacon, which is exclusive to Westend, took out first and second place in the middle-eye bacon category, which was one of five categories in the competition.

New World Westend head butcher Callum Sutherland, who has been working there for more than eight years, said he was "stoked" with the win.

"It was a bit of a shock to tell you the truth, but we're stoked, especially since we won two awards."

Mr Sutherland is no stranger to winning - he's been named Young Butcher of the Year twice, in 2005 and 2010.

In 2011 he won a scholarship to work at a food festival in Cologne, Germany, picking up a few tips from some of the world's best butchers.

His secret to success, and mouth-watering, delicious bacon, was all about the curing and smoking process, good quality meat, and a bit of love and tenderness, he said.

"It's a good bacon and I think that's partially because it's 100 per cent New Zealand pork, we use good technique and put in a bit of love and time."

He said winning the award went to show great bacon didn't have to be produced by the "big people" but smaller companies that spend time perfecting a product.

As for next year's awards, Mr Sutherland already has his eyes set on taking out the supreme title of 100 per cent New Zealand Bacon of the Year Award.

"If we take that one out next year, I'll be a very happy man."

This year Independent Meat Processors' Manuka smoked streaky bacon took out the supreme title, beating 168 other bacon entries and 60 other butcheries for the top title.

The 100 per cent New Zealand Bacon and Ham Competition aims to celebrate New Zealand's finest cured pork products and help customers support local pork producers.

This year's winners are:

100 per cent New Zealand Bacon of the Year 2014
Tom Coughlan and Colin Horton of Independent Meat Processors, Christchurch
100 per cent New Zealand Middle Bacon
Gold - Helen and John Clotworthy, Pokeno Bacon, Pokeno, Auckland
Joint Silver - Murray "Buzz" Sattler of Buzz the Butcher, New Plymouth
Joint Silver - Rob Cameron and Simon Harrison, of Cameron Harrison, Wellington
Bronze - Brydon Heller of Hellers Ltd, Kaiapoi, Canterbury
100 per cent New Zealand Shoulder Bacon
Gold - Chris Timbs of Peter Timbs Meats Ltd, Richmond, Christchurch
Silver - Chris and Sue Brown, Ellesmere Butchery, Leeston, Canterbury
Joint Bronze - Tony Smith, Farmer Jones Ltd, Tauranga
Joint Bronze - Angus Black, Harrington Small Goods, Miramar, Wellington
100 per cent NZ Streaky Bacon
Gold - Tom Coughlan and Colin Horton, Independent Meat Processors, Christchurch
Silver - Nigel Jackson, Mercury Bay Meats, Coromandel Peninsula (First time winners)
Bronze - David Rossiter, Westmere Butchery, Westmere, Auckland
100 per cent Middle-Eye Bacon
Gold - Greg Dyson, Westend New World, Bay of Plenty
Silver - Greg Dyson, Westend New World, Bay of Plenty
Joint Bronze - Helen & John Clotworthy, Pokeno Bacon, Auckland
Joint Bronze - Ragupathy Nadason (Sam), Sam's Butchery, Silverdale, Auckland
100 per cent Dry-Cured Middle Bacon
Gold - Chris & Sue Brown, Ellesmere Butchery, Leeston, Canterbury
Silver - Chris Beach, Cattermoles Butchery, Kaiapoi, Canterbury
Bronze - Rob Lees, Warkworth Butchery, Warkworth (First time winners)
100 per cent Peoples' Choice Award
Helen and John Clotworthy, Pokeno Bacon, Auckland