There are trophies for sausage?
Well, more like medals.
It all started back in 2016 when Josef got a call from one of his fellow meatheads. They got to talking about sausage – what else would they talk about – and his buddy told him about a competition called IFFA and suggested that Josef enter (more on this later, but it’s basically the Meat Olympics).
There was just one catch though – the competition was only a few weeks away, and the products needed to be submitted to the judging committee, pronto!
Josef was hesitant to enter. He didn’t have enough time to make any special products for a prestigious competition. It was then that a thought entered his head – why not see how products we make every day for our customers stack up against competitors’ products made specifically for the competition? Josef had faith in his products, believing that if they’re good enough for customers, they’re good enough for the judges.
“Josef had faith in his products, believing that if they’re good enough for customers, they’re good enough for the judges.”
So, Josef took 14 types of sausages and meats straight off of the production line and submitted them to the competition. Of those 14 products, 12 of them medaled, and 8 of them received perfect scores of 100, earning gold medals! Josef had such a good time, he decided to enter the next IFFA competition in 2019 (similar to the Olympics, they only hold these things every three years). Once again, Josef entered products straight from the production line. Of the 20 products entered, 16 received gold medals, and the remaining 4 received silver. To further prove our place among champions, we took home the “Cup of Honor” at both competitions, recognition from our peers for the high number of products that received gold medals.
Josef is proud of these accolades and awards but is even more fulfilled knowing that our “everyday” products consistently receive high praise at a competitive, international event.
IFFA
IFFA is a prestigious, week-long, international competition that takes place every three years in Frankfurt, Germany, organized by the German Butchers’ Association. (IFFA is a German abbreviation that roughly translates to International Professional Meat Processors Exhibition) For a product to strike gold, it must score a perfect 100 points by the panel of judges. Competing butchers showcase their creativity, craftsmanship, quality, and skill, and often cook up brand new recipes just for the competition. Master Sausage Maker Josef Brunner, however, chooses to enter products right off the shelf, knowing that the products he makes for his everyday customers are worthy of international recognition for their superior quality.
Medal-Placing Meats
Below are our award-winning products that you can buy online. Go on and have a taste of gold.