Nationals Weekend – 2026
location and dates to be advised

We invite you to be a part of the premier event for the Independent Retail Butcher in Australia. The pinnacle of the Australian Meat Industry Council’s Retail competition program is our National Competition Weekend, which brings together the best in our industry.

Bringing together the best of Australia’s butchery talent to showcase world-class sausages, burgers, and the brightest apprentices in the industry, this prestigious event continues to celebrate excellence and innovation in butchery, with a focus on talent, quality, and community.

In Review
National AMIC Apprentice of the Year

The National AMIC Apprentice of the Year award was presented to Lewis Lack from Water’s Butchery in Queensland. Lewis emerged as the winner after a tough competition that saw seven highly skilled apprentice butchers battle it out for the prestige title. The runner-up, Jesse Anderton of Fussy Meats in Western Australia, and each of the finalists deserve a huge congratulations for their exceptional performance and dedication. The AMIC Apprentice of the Year competition highlights the incredible work of young talents, many of whom are set to shape the future of the butchery industry.

National Sausage King and Best Butchers Burger
Thousands of entries were submitted, vying for the honor of having the best sausages and burgers in the nation. It was an absolute pleasure to see butchers from across Australia, both metro and regional, come together to showcase their creativity and passion. The competition was particularly exciting, with some truly unique flavour combinations

National Sausage King winners in various categories were:

Australian Lamb/Open Class Sausage: Rollbusch Quality Meats (SA) – Mexican Lamb, Jalapeno and Cheddar
Traditional Australian Beef Sausage: The Corner Butcher (WA) – Australian Beef Sausage
Poultry Sausage: Marsh Butchery Cairns (QLD) – Butter Chicken and Cashew
Traditional Australian Pork Sausage: Butchers of Noosa (QLD) – English Pork Sausage
Gourmet/Open Class Sausage: Perry’s Quality Meats (TAS) – Venison, Jalapeno & Fetta
Continental Sausage: South Nowra Meats (NSW) – Pork Fennel Chilli and Garlic

The Best Butchers Burger winners included:
Best Butchers Traditional Beef Burger: Rumpshakers (WA) – Korean BBQ Burger
Best Butchers Lamb Burger: Bermuda Butchery and Deli (QLD) – The Drovers Lamb Burger
Best Butchers Gourmet/Open Class Burger: McLoughlin Butchers (WA) – Cheese Bacon & Beef Crumbed Rissole

Acknowledging Industry Support
Minister Julie Collins, delivered an insightful address on the state of the industry. Minister Collins, who serves as the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, as well as the Minister for Small Business, shared valuable perspectives on industry issues and solutions. We thank Minister Collins for her time and valuable input, as well as our incredible event partners: Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Marsh Insurance, Australian Food Super, iKONpack, Cured Compliance, MINTRAC, and Wedderburn. Their ongoing support is invaluable to our industry.

The Nationals weekend not only celebrates the achievements of the country’s finest butchers but also highlightes the exceptional quality, service, and passion that independent local butchers bring to communities across Australia. As the industry continues to thrive, we encourage all Australians to Love their Local Butcher and support our members who continue to drive the butchery trade forward.

Congratulations to all the winners and participants! We look forward to commencing the state competitions and seeing what the new year’s events will bring.

Thank you to our partners