Butcher Aubrey Allen of Leamington Spa won two esteemed national awards at the recent Smithfield Awards, which were revealed last week at Butchers’ Hall in London.
The Leamington Spa butcher’s Hornet Sausage won first place in the Innovative Sausage category, and their Coronation Sausage Roll won the prize for best ‘Simply Cook’ product. They were among ten artisan butchers from throughout the UK to be named best in their class.
Over 30 years have passed since the Q Guild of Butchers organised the awards, which honour and reward the best artisan butchery products in the UK, including sausages, bacon, burgers, steak, game products, BBQ products, and more.
A group of unbiased industry judges bestows a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award on products; all Gold winners in each category compete for the Diamond Award, which is given to the category champion.
With a score of 69 out of 70, the judges praised Aubrey Allen’s Hornet Sausage, calling it “amazing with a lovely texture, sweet to begin with, then a fiery sting in the tail at the end.” The sausage defeated seven other finalists to take first place and win the prestigious Diamond Award.
Additionally, the Leamington Spa butcher received Gold status for their Free Range Cornish Coastal Lamb Adana Kebab, Salt Beef Cottage Pie, and Turkish Kofte with Tomato and Herb Sauce.
This year’s awards featured a new format: a “In Conversation with…” style interview with renowned Irish butcher Pat Whelan. His knowledge, experience, and vision for James Whelan Butchers to become a legacy brand held the attention of the entire audience. Following a final Q&A session, the participants were left feeling incredibly inspired and equipped with a wealth of advice and anecdotes to implement back in their own companies.
“The Smithfield Awards serve as a platform to recognise the very best in UK craft butchery, helping to elevate standards and inspire product innovation,” stated Gordon Wallace, Manager of Q Guild. A Smithfield award is an incredible endorsement, as they are the most prestigious and stringent product evaluators in the meat industry.
One of our most well-liked categories is our Innovative Sausage, so Aubrey Allen has accomplished a remarkable feat to be named best in class for both this and the ‘Simply Cook’ category, as well as to receive gold status for three more products.
Aubrey Allen’s Billy Burnell stated, “We’re overjoyed to receive these honours. We created the sausage roll specifically for the Coronation, using our house-made sausage meat and an on-site curry massala. Our Hornet Sausage is both sweet and spicy, making it suitable for all palates! It’s delicious both in the winter and on the grill!
Aubrey Allen has been a family-run business for over 80 years, providing meat for prestigious chefs and even the Queen’s banquets at Windsor Castle! They offer a selection of premium, naturally raised meats in their Warwick Street store, along with chef-prepared dishes, cooked meats, charcuterie, and housemade cheeses.
