A butcher with shops in Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly has been awarded Gold Awards for three of its products in a UK-wide competition.
Hugh Black & Sons achieved the recognition for its pork links, black pudding, and ribeye fillet Steaks.
The Smithfield Awards, organised by the Q Guild of Butchers, saw more than 200 products from butchers across the UK evaluated.
Hugh Black & Sons will now head to London next month to see if their sausages, black pudding, or steaks will win the coveted Diamond Award, given to the best product in each of the eleven categories.
The Diamond Award winners will then compete in a cook-off at Butchers' Hall on the day of the ceremony, with a distinguished panel of judges deciding the ‘Supreme Champion’, who will receive the Smithfield Platinum Award.
The Smithfield Awards celebrate the 'finest meat products' from UK butchers, honouring their craftsmanship, innovation, and skill.
Categories range from Best Black Pudding and Best Butcher's Steak to Traditional Pork Sausage and Artisan Home-cured Bacon.
Hugh Black & Sons’ products were evaluated at a thorough judging session held last month at the City of Glasgow College, where industry professionals, journalists, and food enthusiasts assessed the products.
A points-based system was used to judge the products, with the top performers receiving Bronze, Silver, or Gold.
Gordon Wallace, Q Guild Manager, said: "The Smithfield Awards serve as a platform to highlight the pinnacle of craft butchery, elevating standards and inspiring product innovation.
"This year, over 200 products were submitted by Q Guild butchers from across the UK, marking it as the meat trade’s foremost and most rigorous product evaluation event.
"Achieving a Gold award is a significant accomplishment, and we extend our best wishes to Hugh Black & Sons as we approach our upcoming award ceremony."
The Gold winners of each category are now competing for the coveted Diamond Awards, which will be announced at the ceremony on February 26, 2025, at Butchers’ Hall in London.
The guest speaker will be Professor John Gilliland, an expert on sustainable farming and food security.
Hugh Black from Hugh Black & Sons said: "We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve received 3 Gold awards from the esteemed Q Guild of Butchers.
"These awards not only serve as a prestigious industry endorsement but also highlight the skill and innovation of our team.
"Here’s to the possibility of our products being crowned the best in the UK!"
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