The Lucky Pig Butchery is proud to announce that two of our artisan smallgoods have brought home international medals from the 2025 IFFA DFV Quality International Competition in Frankfurt, Germany. It’s not every day that a local Melbourne butcher earns recognition on the world stage. At this prestigious global charcuterie awards event, our Jalapeño Kabana and Smoked Chicken Breast stood out among the world’s best, earning a Silver and Bronze medal respectively. These accolades reflect our commitment to Australian smallgoods excellence and showcase the quality and craftsmanship behind everything we do.
From Australian Gold to the World Stage at IFFA 2025
Entry into the IFFA 2025 competition was invite-only, and the bar for entry was set extremely high. In fact, only products that won gold at the Australian Charcuterie Excellence Awards (ACEA) were eligible to compete in Frankfurt. This means every competitor at IFFA had already proven themselves as the very best in their home country. The Lucky Pig’s journey began at the ACEA – the pinnacle of recognition in the Australian smallgoods industry – where our products earned top honours. By securing Gold medals at ACEA, our smallgoods qualified to represent Australia on the world stage. This invite-only format ensured that in Frankfurt we were competing against the crème de la crème of international smallgoods, all of whom had demonstrated exceptional quality at a national level.
IFFA: The Global Benchmark for Smallgoods Excellence
So, what makes IFFA so special? IFFA (Internationale Fleischwirtschaftliche Fachausstellung) in Frankfurt is widely regarded as the world’s leading meat industry trade fair and the global benchmark for smallgoods quality. Held every three years in Germany, it draws top butchers and artisan producers from every continent. The German Butchers’ Association (DFV) hosts the International Quality Competition at IFFA, where the world’s finest cured and smoked meats are rigorously judged on criteria like appearance, texture, aroma, and flavour. Earning a medal here means a product ranks among the world’s best smallgoods. In this arena, Australian smallgoods sit alongside famous European charcuterie traditions and more – truly a global showcase of craftsmanship. For a humble Melbourne butcher like us, just being invited to IFFA 2025 was an honour in itself. Bringing home medals is an even greater triumph, given the prestige and intense standards of this competition.
The Lucky Pig’s Medal-Winning Smallgoods
At IFFA 2025, our team was thrilled to see two of our signature products recognised for their quality and flavour. Here are The Lucky Pig’s results from the competition:
- Jalapeño Kabana – Silver Medal (Score: 48) – Our spicy Jalapeño Kabana impressed the international judges, scoring 48 points out of 50. This Silver Medal win confirms that our kabana (a classic smoked sausage) can shine among the world’s finest. Originally a Gold winner at the Australian charcuterie awards, this kabana’s perfect balance of smokiness, chilli heat, and quality meat has now been validated on the global stage. It’s a true testament to the skill of our butchers and the bold flavours loved by our customers.
- Smoked Chicken Breast – Bronze Medal (Score: 44) – Our delicately smoked chicken breast earned a Bronze Medal with a strong score of 44/50. This tender, juicy chicken breast – cured and smoked in-house – held its own in a field of top international smallgoods. Having already proven itself with a Gold at ACEA, it impressed judges overseas with its subtle smoke aroma, succulent texture, and authentic seasoning. We’re proud that a product as humble as smoked chicken breast, crafted in our Melbourne shop, is now officially a medal-winning smallgoods on the world stage.
Both of these products were evaluated by expert judges against entries from across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Scoring in the high 40s reflects an exceptional standard of quality, as the judging at IFFA allows only the slightest imperfections for Silver and Bronze medals. In other words, our products were just a few points shy of perfect, competing among the very best. We couldn’t be prouder of how our smallgoods showcased Australian craftsmanship internationally.
Pride in Craftsmanship and Authentic Flavour
These international awards are more than just medals – they represent the pride, craftsmanship, and authenticity that define The Lucky Pig’s ethos. Every sausage and smoked meat we produce is the result of time-honoured techniques, quality local ingredients, and our team’s passion for the craft. To have our work celebrated at a global level reinforces that our commitment to traditional flavours and artisanal methods can compete with the best in the world. We’ve always believed in doing things the right way rather than the easy way. From hand-mixing our spice blends to patiently smoking our meats, every step is about delivering genuine quality. Seeing our Jalapeño Kabana and Smoked Chicken Breast shine at IFFA 2025 proves that this approach resonates far beyond our shop in Melbourne.
Importantly, we’ve stayed true to our roots throughout this journey. While it’s exciting to earn international acclaim, we remain the same family-run Melbourne butcher that cares about every customer and every cut of meat. Our focus continues to be on authentic flavour and excellent quality, whether we’re serving our local community or representing Australia on the world stage. The recognition in Frankfurt has energised our team to continue innovating and perfecting our smallgoods, all while staying true to the traditional techniques that got us here.
Try Our Award-Winning Smallgoods for Yourself
The best way to celebrate these wins is to taste the results! We invite you to try our medal-winning Jalapeño Kabana and Smoked Chicken Breast, available now at The Lucky Pig Butchery. Whether you visit our shop in Bentleigh (Melbourne) or order online, you can experience first-hand the flavours that impressed judges at the IFFA 2025 charcuterie competition. There’s never been a better time to enjoy these award-winning smallgoods – add the Silver-medal Jalapeño Kabana to your next charcuterie board for a spicy kick, or make any meal special with our Bronze-medal Smoked Chicken Breast sliced thin.
Come and taste the difference that world-class craftsmanship makes. We’re confident that once you try these internationally recognised products, you’ll understand why they stood out on the global stage. Thank you for supporting The Lucky Pig on this journey – we’re incredibly proud to bring a bit of Australia’s best to the world, and even prouder to bring it back home to you. Enjoy our Australian smallgoods that are now officially among the world’s finest, and share in the flavours of our success!
