These iconic smoky sausages from a family butcher in East Nowra are celebrated on the world stage. We met the maker and sampled the product to bring you this story.
To have something you make and sell be considered the best in Australia is a remarkable achievement; to do that with two different products is a step above. To go even further and have the second best in the world in two products is beyond your wildest dreams.
This is the reality for Paul Beresford, owner and head butcher of Beresfords Quality Meats at East Nowra on Kalandar Street.
Paul has been in the trade for 36 years. This seriously talented butcher has been recognised with silver medals for his beef jerky and cabanossi at the IFFA (Internationale Fleisch Fachmesse) Smallgoods Awards, which is a global competition out of Germany that recognises excellence in smallgoods production.
There is a rigorous selection process to even be nominated for the world awards. Entrants must compete and be successful in the Australian Charcuterie Excellence Awards (ACEA) where Paul won a gold for both products in 2023 and a silver again in 2024.
This success qualified Paul for the IFFA awards. This shows that, over a long period of time, Paul and his team are producing consistent and quality products that stand up on the world stage. Of all the entries from Australia listed, Paul was the only award winner for cabanossi – his thin, smoky sausage really is the best in Australia.
I can confirm that it is absolutely delicious, eating one stick before getting to Bunnings at South Nowra. The cabanossi has a subtle smoky taste, with a firm snap unlike the mass produced cabanossi options. It has a perfect balance of salt, smoke and pork flavour that you can snack on or add to a pizza.
Good Old-Fashioned Family Business
Paul completed his apprenticeship under the guidance of his father, who owned the shop for 45 years. Paul has now owned the business himself for 10 years, making it a long-standing pillar of the community for over 55 years.
As all good butchers do, they have their favourites and for Paul it was his beef jerky. He used to just make it for himself as a snack, slowly letting family and friends taste what he made. On holiday, his fiancé suggested that he make the jerky for sale, as the overwhelming response was that it was absolutely delicious.
Fast forward to 2023 and it became a gold medal award winning jerky at the ACEA awards and now in 2025 a silver medal winner and second best in the world.
Paul is quick to say he isn’t an overnight success. “It has taken years to get the right recipe, right seasoning and the right length of smoking and drying,” he humbly admits. This is the case for the cabanossi too and Paul now describes them as “spot on”. His record on the world stage would suggest that’s accurate.
“These accolades are more than just medals – they are a reflection of the countless hours spent perfecting recipes, refining techniques, and upholding traditions. They represent the spirit of innovation and the deep respect for quality that runs through every smallgoods business across the country.” – AMIC GM Smallgoods Oliver Stankovski
For Paul, the accolades are nice to receive but during our conversation he kept coming back to the mentality of the old school butcher shop.
“We believe in strong customer service, top quality products that can be cut to shape, size or weight specifications. The ability to walk in and buy exactly what you need as opposed to prepackaged quantities from the supermarket’,” he says.
“Our meat is top quality, preservative and hormone free, which ultimately makes for a better product for our customers.”
From the interaction I had with Paul, it was clear that each customer coming in is just as important as the last. We were interrupted several times by customers who wanted to tell me how good his meat is across the board, with one customer making sure I knew that Paul is a good bloke as well.
It’s shops such as Paul’s that I want to buy my meat from, having more control over the quality and provenance of what I eat. Someone like Paul is doing great things for the industry and the community and it is worth supporting his passion and dedication on your dinner plates.
This global recognition is a tribute to the skill, resilience, and community behind every smallgoods operation – from family-run butchers to larger producers – all united by a shared commitment to excellence.
