Halenda’s Meats Brings Home 15 Awards at Ontario’s Finest Meat Competition 2024!
Halenda’s Meats is thrilled to announce that we brought home 15 awards at the prestigious Meat & Poultry Ontario Awards Gala, held this past weekend in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The Ontario’s Finest Meat Competition, celebrated bi-annually, showcases the very best in Ontario’s meat and poultry products, and this year, Halenda’s Meats stood out in 9 categories!
Among over 110 submissions, our Halenda’s team earned six Platinum titles:
- Bacon – Ruby Red Bacon
- Smoked Sausage (Traditional) – Kranska
- Deli Roasts – Smoked Montreal
- Premium Dried or Dry Cured – Dried Capicola (Necken)
- Sausage (Dry/Semi-Dry Large) – Kulen
- Salumi/Charcuterie – Chorizo
A highlight of this year’s achievement is our Ruby Red Bacon, which won the coveted Diamond Award at the Ontario Finest Meat Competition. Known for its perfect balance of smokiness and rich flavour, Ruby Red Bacon represents the excellence we strive for every day. The Diamond Award at the Ontario Finest Meat Competition is the highest honour, awarded to the single product that achieves the top score across all products.
All of these awards reflect the dedication and craft our butchers and team members bring to every Halenda’s product.
Halenda’s Meats has proudly received the prestigious Ron Usborne Award of Excellence, a tribute to our commitment to quality and innovation in the meat industry.
The Ron Usborne Award of Excellence is a distinguished honour given to the company that accumulates the most points overall in the Ontario Finest Meat Competition. Named after a respected leader in Ontario’s meat industry, this award celebrates a company’s consistency, craftsmanship, and dedication to quality across multiple product categories and we’re honoured to be acknowledged among Ontario’s finest.
We also secured additional recognition across other award levels, reinforcing our commitment to quality and innovation in each of our products:
- Kielbasa – Double Smoked Kobassa (Gold)
- Salumi / Charcuterie – Sremska (Gold)
- Premium Wiener – All Beef Hot Dog (Gold) and Koby Dog (Silver)
- Sausage (Dry/Semi-Dry) – Buggy Whip (Gold) and Turkey Salami Sticks (Silver)
- Deli Roasts – Porketta (Silver)
Our products were judged by top food industry experts based on taste, aroma, texture, consumer experience, and visual appeal. We’re honoured that our craftsmanship and passion for quality have earned us this incredible recognition and are grateful for the support of our customers and community.
These awards are a testament to the Halenda’s commitment to offering only the finest in Canadian meats, showcasing the artistry and pride in every cut, grind, and flavour we deliver to your table.
For a closer look at the competition, click here to watch the video on YouTube.
Here are the Halenda’s products that won in each category:
- Bacon
- Platinum: Ruby Red Bacon
- Kielbasa
- Gold: Double Smoked Kobassa
- Smoked Sausage – Traditional
- Platinum: Kranska
- Deli Roasts
- Platinum: Smoked Montreal
- Silver: Porketta
- Salumi / Charcuterie
- Platinum: Chorizo
- Gold: Sremska
- Premium Wiener
- Gold: All Beef Hot Dog
- Silver: Koby Dog
- Premium Dried / Dry Cured
- Platinum: Dried Capicola (Necken)
- Sausage Dry / Semi-Dry Large
- Platinum: Kulen
- Sausage Dry / Semi-Dry
- Gold: Buggy Whip
- Silver: Turkey Salami Sticks
About Halenda’s Meats
Halenda’s Meats has been proudly serving Ontario with high-quality meats since 1979. From traditional recipes to innovative flavour profiles, we believe in delivering excellence and supporting our local communities. Visit one of our stores today to experience the award-winning flavours for yourself!
About Meat & Poultry Ontario
Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) represents Ontario’s meat industry, bringing together independent businesses dedicated to quality and community. The Ontario meat and poultry sector is the single largest manufacturing employer in the province, generating $11.2 billion in revenue as part of Ontario’s $45 billion food and beverage processing industry.
