Boort local butcher shop sets sights on national awards

Published on 02 November 2017

Boort’s Arnold Family Butchers is now setting its sights on the national stage following the business’s success at the state Australian Meat Industry Council Awards.

The small business took out awards at the Victorian competition in all five categories it entered, including first place for Ham Off the Bone and Traditional Australian Pork Sausage.

The shop also won second place for Ham On the Bone, third for Continental Sausage and third place for Best Butchers Beef Burger.

The state accolades followed the shop’s success at the regional awards held in Echuca earlier this year, where Arnold Family Butchers came first in the five categories.

Arnold Family Butchers owner Kristy Arnold said the business’s triumph at the state awards was all down to her husband and co-owner Jye, who has been a butcher for 20 years.

“Jye has worked extremely hard over the years, to finally be recognised for his own work is fantastic,” Mrs Arnold said.

“He always says he’s just a butcher, but these awards show he’s more than just a butcher.”

She added that being awarded first place in the Ham Off the Bone category was particularly noteworthy.

“We went to Melbourne for a weekend in July and had a look at all the boutique butcher shops and thought we had no chance of an award,” Mrs Arnold said.

“To win in the ham category against these boutique butchers, some of which have professional chefs, is fantastic.

“In his speech at the awards, Jye mentioned that we are in a small country town and it’s just us in the shop. So to win against the big butcher shops and boutique shops was quite a shock.”

Mrs Arnold said the business was looking forward to the national awards in February, which will be held in Healesville.

“We will be going up for our English Pork Sausages, which will be judged against all the state winners,” she said.

Mrs Arnold added that the butcher’s shop had seen a rise in business from people curious about their award-winning products.

“It has been the little things, like people dropping by to try the products for which we won the awards, so that has been great. Hopefully it will also see us sell a couple more of our hams come Christmas time!”