News that they had won the Australian Meat Industry Council’s 2015 Processor Excellence award for small operators came as a shock to Hughenden butchers Stuart and Stacey Christensen, who were away fishing when the announcement was made in Brisbane at the end of October.
“We’d never entered that award before,” Stacey said. “Flinders Butchery has won sausage competitions and things on the retail side, but we hadn’t put in for our slaughter yards before.”
They were encouraged to do so after hosting the May meeting of the Queensland Country Meat Processors in Hughenden.
“We feel pretty proud that people in the industry recognise we’re doing the right thing,” said Stacey. “Our yards are quite old but we’ve put some money into them and they’re very clean and neat.”
They’ve been operating the Flinders Butchery for 15 years, sourcing meat from their Mt Beckford property 13km north of Hughenden and purchasing premium meat from Brisbane.
As meat suppliers to pubs and restaurants in places such as Winton, Burketown, Julia Creek, Richmond and Cloncurry, the good tourist season just past has been a help to them.
“They’re our bread and butter,” Stuart said. “We supply the restaurants and they get to hear about our product and come along to see us in Hughenden.”
They usually kill three head of cattle a week, and have an average of three service kills a week, which “pays a person’s wage”, according to Stuart.
In addition they are killing meat for Townsville’s Paleo Cafe, and for Sam Anning’s paddock to plate pre-cooked meal venture in Townsville.
Even though the tourist trade is quietening off, the Christensens are busy preparing for their Christmas ham order.
When they took over, the shop was selling about 20 hams for Christmas – they’ve now built that up to 500.
“We’ve designed our own way of doing it,” is all Stuart is prepared to say when questioned about their popularity.
A number of other outstanding industry performances were celebrated at the AMIC Queensland Meat Industry Awards gala dinner at the Royal on the Park ballroom in Brisbane on October 31, attended by 250 guests.
Retail Awards
1. Outstanding Achievement of the Year Award – Dylan Kerr, Arana Tender Cut Meats.
2. Innovation in Value-added Red Meat Products Award – Kawungan Quality Meats, Hervey Bay.
3. Retail Excellence and Shop of the Year Award – City Pattemore's Quality Meats, Alexandra Hills.
4. Retail Excellence and Shop of the Year Award – Country Bli Bli Butchery, Bli Bli.
Food Processor Supplies Processor Awards
1. Outstanding Achievement of the Year Award – Danny Gleenson, Young Guns.
2. Processor Best Practice Award – Schulte's Meat Tavern, Plainlands.
3. Processor Excellence Award (Up to 100) Small Operations – Flinder's Butchers Slaughteryard, Hughenden.
4. Processor Excellence Award (101 +) Large Operations – Comgroup Supplies, Carole Park.
Apprentice of the Year Suzanna Roeger - Zone Fresh Gourmet Markets, Windsor.
Master Butcher Recognition – Mike Smith, Wavell Heights Quality Meats.
Recognition of Service to the Meat Industry – Carol and Gavin Marsh and family, Marsh Butcheries, Cairns.
