General News
26 May, 2026
Local butcher named among nation’s best
Recently taking home gold for Best Chorizo at the Australian Charcuterie Excellence Awards, Pyrenees Premium Cuts (PPC) can serve a sample tray of accolades they have won over almost a decade.
With the business now home to Australia’s best chorizo, PPC’s Hayley Collicoat described the nationwide recognition as “the biggest deal”.
“Out of all of the awards we have ever won, national competition is always the most prestigious. It means you’re the best in all of Australia,” she said.
“Coming from such a small rural and regional area, like Mary-borough, Ararat, Stawell, Avoca, where all of our shops are located, who would have thought we would be able to manufacture and process Australia’s best product within
such a small scope, when you
have got other big and massive companies that compete in the same industry.”
Taking home the gold in the continental small goods class, judges were enticed by the product’s texture, flavour, appearance and smell, making it the overall category winner.
“Who can blame them? It has a bit of a kick, not spicy because a lot of people like spicy, but it’s got just a hint of spice,” Ms Collicoat said.
“It’s really a fine balance when you are hand mixing a product and making it from scratch.”
After seven years as a staple at PPC, Ms Collicoat said the winning product is a result of an evolved recipe.
“We spend a lot of time focusing on our flavours and what our product looks like, the consistency of it, the texture, sometimes it takes a while to build on that,” she said.
As an independent business sourcing meat locally, mixing products on site and leaving minimal waste, Ms Collicoat said the award showcases the valued work of the business’s employees.
“This has a lot to say for independent business, locally owned business, small business, it’s huge,” she said.
“It just shows the difference between bigger companies and the ‘little guys’ up at four in the morning, still mixing the sausage mix and making sure each is linked to perfection, it’s that real value in the product the customer always asks for.
“We have been going to these awards for 20 years. Since we have opened the doors to our business, the only time we didn’t compete was over COVID, and there was only maybe two or three times in total where we haven’t received some sort of medallion or award for our product.
“Whether it be gold, silver or bronze, it’s the recognition that comes with our product, competing at a state level or a national level.
“This year is 10 years in business for us. For it to be 10 years and for us to take away the overall charcuterie award is massive, it’s a good business growing opportunity, for our little towns, it’s a really good thing, for something so small and simple.”