Ham wins race for Kiwi Christmas favourite
Ham has edged out lamb to become Kiwis’ top choice for their Christmas tables this year.
Sam’s Butchery in Silverdale was named Supreme Bacon winner for its Naturally Maple Streaky Bacon.
Puvi Nadason accepted the award on behalf of Sam’s Butchery and his father, Sam Nadason.
“Winning this award means a lot,” Puvi says. “Dad puts in so much hard work, and the standard of competition is always incredibly high.”
“The other entrants continue to raise the bar each year, making the competition tougher every time – which is a great thing for the industry,” he adds. “It’s a credit to everyone who keeps turning up and giving it their all.”
Meanwhile, Wild Game in Hastings took home the Supreme Ham Award for their Old School Pressed Ham.
Jordan Hamilton, Wild Game, thanked NZPork for the opportunity to enter the competition.
“This means so much to small businesses like mine,” Hamilton says.
“I’ve been lucky enough to win this before, so to take it out again must show it’s a quality product,” he says. “I’m incredibly proud – it’s hard to put into words how much this means.”
The judging process spanned three days and brought together a panel of experienced butchers and culinary experts.
The judging panel evaluated from across the country, all crafted using 100% New Zealand born and raised pork.
Products were judged across eight bacon and three ham categories, with gold, silver and bronze medals awarded.
Each category’s top-scoring product earned the title of Category Champion – these champions then progressed to a final round of judging to determine the overall Supreme Bacon and Supreme Ham winners.
Culinary judge Ginny Grant says the standard was exceptionally high in 2025, making for a close competition.
“From an aesthetic point of view, the ham really had that ‘wow’ factor when it was presented to the judges,” Grant says.
“A pressed ham is more of a traditional style, and not only did it look amazing, but it was also incredibly moreish, with great depth of flavour and impressive balance,” she says. “You could tell it had been made with a lot of care.”
The winning bacon also impressed the judging panel with its originality and standout character.
Culinary judge, Kathy Paterson says the Supreme Bacon was quite different this year.
“We’ve chosen something that really stands out from what we’ve seen in the past,” Paterson says.
“As soon as I brought it up to my nose and took in the aroma, I thought ‘Wow, this smells amazing.’ It just made you want to start eating it straight away, and I think that’s always a good sign!”
Technical judge Brian Everton of Cabernet Foods highlighted the innovation and skill behind both winning products.
“What really made both Supreme Winners stand out this year was just how innovative they were. Both the ham and bacon were quite different, and you could tell a lot of thought had gone into making them unique. That creativity really helped elevate them. From a technical point of view, they’re not easy products to make either, so it’s clear the producers put a lot of care and attention into getting them just right, and it’s paid off," says Everton.
In the lead-up to the awards, Kiwi consumers had their say in the People’s Choice Award, voting online for their favourite bacon and ham retailer. With more than 5,400 votes cast nationwide, Peter Timbs Meats in Christchurch was named the public’s favourite for their mouth-watering bacon and ham products.
David Timbs collected the award, saying he was proud to win the award.
"We're really grateful to our suppliers, but most of all we want to thank our customers who voted for us," he says.
