Awards & Testimonials – Louie's Finer Meats

Louie’s is proud to have won over 550 state, national and international awards since we began competing in 1975. We constantly strive to provide product perfection as well as creating new and tasty sausages and bratwurst for your enjoyment.

2021 Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors Awards

We received a record-breaking 28 awards at the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors competition! This brings us to 45 total awards in 2021! A wide variety of products were recognized. The championships were held August 26-28 in Madison (rescheduled from April).

State Awards included:

Product Show Excellence Award (overall highest placing in the contest)
Ring Bohemian Cream Sausage – Grand Champion & Best of Show Award
Semi-Boneless Ham – Grand Champion
Jalapeno Cheddar Summer Sausage – Grand Champion
Smoked Polish Sausage – Grand Champion
Peppered Bacon – Grand Champion
Italian Breakfast Links – Grand Champion
Coarse Ring Bologna – Grand Champion
Fine Ring Bologna – Reserve Grand Champion
Braunschweiger – Reserve Grand Champion
Turkey Salami – Reserve Grand Champion
Cotto Salami – Reserve Grand Champion
Jalapeno Cheddar Stix – Reserve Grand Champion
Smoked Chicken – Champion
Dry-Cured Chorizo – Champion
Sweet & Hot Beef Jerky – Champion
German Fry Sausage – Reserve Champion
Pickle & Cheddar Ham – Reserve Champion
Cooked Bratwurst – Honorable Mention
Smoked Bratwurst – Honorable Mention
Ring Weisswurst – Honorable Mention
Head Cheese – Honorable Mention
Dry-Cured Mushroom Romano Salami – Honorable Mention
Beer & Cheddar Bratwurst – Honorable Mention
Jalapeno & Cheddar Stix – Grand Champion (Midwest Meat Open)
6-Cheese Italian Sausage – Reserve Grand Champion (Midwest Meat Open)
Commercial Ham – Champion (Midwest Meat Open)

2021 National Awards

The 2021 American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) Convention was held in Oklahoma City in July, including the American Cured Meat Championships. We received six awards for our products, and Louie & Barb Muench were honored with the 2021 AAMP Achievement Award, the highest honor of the national association.

AAMP Achievement Award (Louie & Barb Muench)
Grand Champion – Jalapeno & Cheddar Stix
Grand Champion – Jalapeno & Cheddar Summer Sausage
Reserve Grand Champion – Venison Jalapeño Cheddar Stix
Reserve Grand Champion – Mushroom Romano Dry-Cured Salami
Reserve Champion – Smoked Beer & Cheddar Brats
Reserve Champion – Sweet & Hot Beef Jerky

2021 Wisconsin State Fair

We participated in the 2021 Wisconsin State Fair Meat Products contest and received seven awards! The winning entries were auctioned at the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction on August 10 to benefit the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation.

Best of Show: Dried Beef
Grand Champion Summer Sausage
Grand Champion Dried Beef
Grand Champion Jalapeno & Cheddar Snack Stix
Grand Champion Smoked Bratwurst
Reserve Grand Champion Smoked Polish Sausage
Reserve Grand Champion Bacon
Champion Corned Beef

2020 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cancellations:

We planned to participate in three contests in 2020. All three were cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic:

Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors – Wisconsin Cured Meat Championships (Scheduled for April in Madison, WI)
American Association of Meat Processors – American Cured Meat Championships (Scheduled for July in Des Moines, IA)
Wisconsin State Fair Meat Products Contest (Scheduled for August in West Allis, WI)

2019 Wisconsin State Fair

We participated in the 2019 Wisconsin State Fair Meat Products Contest. The winning entries were auctioned off at the 28th Annual Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products auction on August 6, 2019, with proceeds benefiting the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation. Louie’s brought home awards for five products, and the overall Best-of-Show Award! Louie’s items netted nearly $15,000 in the auction.

Awards included:

Overall Best of Show: Mushroom & Romano Dry-Cured Salami
Grand Champion: Mushroom & Romano Dry-Cured Salami
Grand Champion: Bone-in Ham
Grand Champion: Dried Beef
Grand Champion: Jalapeno & Cheddar Summer Sausage
Reserve Champion: Porkstrami

2019 National Awards!

We attended the 2019 American Cured Meat Championships, which was held July 25-27, 2019 in Mobile, Alabama. We brought home nine national awards! In addition, Louis E. Muench served as Immediate Past President of the American Association of Meat Processors and was recognized for his service as national President and Director.

Awards included:

Grand Champion – Semi-Boneless Ham
Grand Champion – Mushroom & Romano Dry-Cured Salami
Grand Champion – Blood & Tongue Loaf
Reserve Grand Champion – Lightweight Ham
Reserve Grand Champion – BBQ Pork Jerky
Champion – Heavyweight Ham
Champion – Jalapeno & Cheddar Snack Stix
Champion – Smoked Bratwurst
Reserve Champion – Summer Sausage

2019 International Awards!

Louie’s brings home the gold! In May, Louis E. Muench traveled to the IFFA (International Meat Trade Fair) in Frankfurt, Germany and received certificates, medals, and trophies awarded to Louie’s Finer Meats as part of the International Quality Competition for Sausage and Ham. This competition was a partnership between the DFV (German Butcher’s Association) and the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP). All entries were graded on appearance, consistency, smell, and taste by judges from the German Butcher’s Association.

Louie’s was awarded 31 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal, the Grand Prize for Sausage, and the 2019 Champion for Sausage & Ham! Louie’s has now received over 550 awards total, with more than 50 in 2019.

Awards included:

2019 DFV-AAMP Champion for Sausage & Ham
2019 Grand Prize for Sausage
Smoked Fennel & Garlic Italian Sausage – Gold Medal
Knackwurst – Gold Medal
Ring Bologna – Gold Medal
Venison Salami – Gold Medal
Cooked Kalberwurst – Gold Medal
Smoked Flank Steak – Gold Medal
Smoked German Fry Sausage – Gold Medal
Dry Cured Soppressata – Gold Medal
Smoky Links – Gold Medal
Venison Peppie Snack Stix – Gold Medal
Beef Pastrami – Gold Medal
Pork Jerky – Gold Medal
Lebanon Bologna – Gold Medal
Head Cheese – Gold Medal
Precooked Traditional Bratwurst – Gold Medal
Precooked Birkie Bratwurst – Gold Medal
Semi-Boneless Ham – Gold Medal
Smoked Six Cheese Italian Sausage – Gold Medal
Skin-on Wieners – Gold Medal
Smoked Kielbasa – Gold Medal
Slab Bacon – Gold Medal
Bone-in Ham – Gold Medal
Peppered Bacon – Gold Medal
Birkie Snack Stix – Gold Medal
Precooked Chicken/Spinach/Feta Cheese Bratwurst – Gold Medal
Smoked Andouille (Cajun Sausage) – Gold Medal
Jalapeno & Cheddar Snack Stix – Gold Medal
Beef Jerky – Gold Medal
Jalapeno & Cheddar Summer Sausage – Gold Medal
Beef Summer Sausage – Gold Medal
Hunter’s Salami – Gold Medal
Bierschinken – Silver Medal

2019 Wisconsin State Awards

We attended the 2019 Wisconsin Cured Meat Championships, held April 5-6 in Middleton, WI. This is the largest contest of its kind in the United States with 930 products entered this year.

We were recognized with awards for 15 products!

Award-winning products included:
Jalapeno & Cheddar Summer Sausage, Grand Champion
Smoked Traditional Bratwurst, Grand Champion
Smoked Beer & Cheddar Bratwurst, Grand Champion
Smoked Beef Italian Sausage, Reserve Grand Champion
Bacon, Champion
Smoked Whole Chicken, Champion
Bierwurst, Champion
Fennel Italian Sausage, Reserve Champion
Peppered Bacon, Reserve Champion
Ring Weisswurst, Reserve Champion
Summer Sausage, Reserve Champion
Romano & Mushroom Dry-Cured Salami, Reserve Champion
Bone-in Ham, Honorable Mention
Sweet & Hot Beef Jerky, Honorable Mention
Fine-Cut Ring Bologna, Honorable Mention

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PHOTO ALBUM OF THE WINNING PRODUCTS

2018 Wisconsin State Fair Awards

Louie’s participated in the 2018 Wisconsin State Fair meat products competition and received awards for five products! The Wisconsin State Fair was August 2-12 in West Allis, WI.

The winning products were auctioned at the 27th Annual Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction, which serves as a major fundraiser for the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation and the thousands of 4-H youth members throughout Wisconsin. The auction was Tuesday, August 7 at the State Fair.

Products winning State Fair Awards included:

Dried Beef

Flavored Snack Sticks

Smoked Bratwurst

Whole Muscle Jerky

Ring Bologna

2018 National Awards

LOUIE’S FINER MEATS, INC. WINS NATIONAL HONORS

We attended the 2018 American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) convention in Kansas City, MO, which was held July 19-21, 2018.

Louis E. Muench served as the 2017-2018 AAMP President and completed his term at this year’s convention; he continues to serve on the Executive Committee as immediate Past President.

The American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC) is held in conjunction with the convention. Louie’s brought home three national awards:

Grand Champion – Flavored Snack Sticks (Jalapeno & Cheddar)

Grand Champion- Semi-Boneless Ham

Reserve Grand Champion – Old World Dry Sausage (Soppresatta)

2018 Wisconsin Awards

We attended the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors (WAMP) convention, held April 5-8, 2018 in Madison, WI. In the Wisconsin Cured Meat Championships, 13 of our products were recognized with awards! This competition is the largest contest of its kind in the United States.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PHOTO ALBUM OF ALL WINNING PRODUCTS

Awards included:

German Bologna – Grand Champion (Large Diameter Luncheon Meat)
Scotch Egg – Grand Champion (Specialty Meat Entree)
Packer Brats – Reserve Grand Champion (Cooked Specialty Bratwurst)
Traditional Brats – Reserve Grand Champion (Cooked Traditional Bratwurst)
Semi-Boneless Ham – Reserve Grand Champion
Bone-in Ham – Champion
Fine Ring Bologna – Champion
Dried Beef – Champion
Bacon – Reserve Champion
Bohemian Cream Sausage – Reserve Champion (Specialty Ring Sausage)
Dry-Cured Italian Salami – Reserve Champion (Old World Dry or Semi-Dry Sausage)
Peppered Bacon – Honorable Mention (Flavored Bacon)
Cotto Salami – Honorable Mention (Large Diameter Luncheon Meat)

2017 Wisconsin State Fair

We attended the 26th Annual Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction at the Wisconsin State Fair. The winning products were sold and all proceeds benefit the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation. Louie’s products sold for a total of $19,850!

Bone-in Ham: $8100 (record for the auction)
Smoked Polish Sausage: $5000
Smoked Wisconsin Bratwurst: $3000
Dried Beef: $2500
Dry-cured Pepperoni: $1250

2017 National Awards

We attended the American Association of Meat Processors convention in Lexington, KY on July 20-22, 2017. We won four national awards in the American Cured Meat Championships:

Grand Champion Ring Bologna
Reserve Grand Champion Bacon
Reserve Grand Champion Ham
Champion Dry-Cured Bacon

In addition, Louis E. Muench was named the national AAMP President for the next year, through the 2018 convention in Kansas City, MO.

2017 Wisconsin Distinguished Agriculturist – Louis E. Muench

Louie (left) with Dr. Dale Gallenburg (right), Dean of the UW-River Falls College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences.

The Wisconsin Distinguished Agriculturist Award is sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) and is presented to an individual in the agricultural or natural resources fields who has provided outstanding leadership, service, and other contributions to the broad agricultural community. This award was established in 1970 and a charcoal sketch of each honoree hangs in the Agricultural Hall of Fame in the Agricultural Science building at UW-River Falls.

Louie was presented with this award at the 51st Annual CAFES Scholarship and Awards Banquet, held at the Kilkarney Hills Golf Course in River Falls on April 20, 2017.

Louis E. Muench earned a B.S. degree from UW-River Falls in 1977 with a double major in Food Science and Biology and has returned to campus often in the years since as an instructor & assistant for meat processing short courses and more.

Click Here to Read the Full Article from UW-River Falls

2017 Wisconsin Awards

See Photo Album of the Awards!

The 2017 Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors convention and competition was held March 30 to April 2, 2017 in Madision, WI. We came home with 14 awards for our products, including the Dennis Buege Trophy, recognizing our Kalberwurst as the most outstanding sausage product of the show; and the Excellence in Product Manufacture Award for placing the highest overall throughout the contest. This is the largest competition of its kind in the United States, with 1016 products entered this year. In addition, Louis E. Muench is serving on the WAMP Board of Directors and Louis K. Muench served as Chairman of the Product Show Committe.

Awards included:

Product Show Excellence in Product Manufacture Award
Kalberwurst – Grand Champion
Kalberwurst – Dennis R. Buege Best of Show Trophy
Head Cheese – Grand Champion
Peppered Bacon – Grand Champion
Precooked Spinach & Feta Chicken Bratwurst – Grand Champion
Ham & Cheddar Snack Stix – Reserve Grand Champion
Bacon – Reserve Grand Champion
Cheese & Raisin Italian Sausage – Champion
Boneless Ham – Champion
Summer Sausage – Reserve Champion
Ring Liver Sausage – Honorable Mention
Smoked Bratwurst – Honorable Mention
Honey Ham – Honorable Mention

2016 Wisconsin State Fair

Louie’s received a Wisconsin State Fair Award for Barbecue Pork Jerky. This product was auctioned off at the 25th Annual Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction for a total of $2500, with proceeds benefiting the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation.

2016 National Awards

Louie’s was recognized at the 2016 American Cured Meat Championships, held July 21-23 in Omaha, Nebraska. Louie’s was awarded the following:

Reserve Champion, in the ‘Frankfurters/Wieners’ class for Natural Casing Wieners
Reserve Grand Champion, in the ‘Semi Boneless Ham’ class for Smoked Ham
Reserve Grand Champion, in the ‘Meat Snack Sticks’ class for Summer Stix
Champion, in the Featured Class ‘Beef Smoked Dinner Sausage’ for Smoked Italian Sausage

2016 International Medals

Louie’s Finer Meats won international recognition at the DFV-AAMP Quality Competition for Sausage and Ham, with judging held January 11-13 at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and awards presented in Frankfurt, Germany on May 10. Judges from Germany came to UW-Madison to conduct the competition, and all entries were graded on appearance, flavor, and consistency.

IFFA is the leading international trade fair for the meat industry, and hosts an international meat product competition every three years. The German Butchers’ Association (Deutscher Fleischer Verband) formed a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) to conduct the international competition.

AAMP Executive Director Chris Young said, “With awards from the German Butchers’ Association, our members demonstrate the international competitiveness and quality of their products. On behalf of AAMP, we congratulate Louie’s Finer Meats for their outstanding achievements.”

Louie’s was awarded medals for the following products:

20 Gold Medals: Hickory Smoked Slab Bacon, Semi-Boneless Ham, Smoked Bratwurst, BBQ Pork Jerky, Precooked Beer & Cheddar Brats, Precooked Jalapeno & Cheddar Brats, Skin-On Wieners, Smoked Italian Sausage, Smoked Polish Sausage, Venison Salami, Country Bacon, Bone-In Ham, Beef Summer Sausage, Hunter’s Sausage, Braunschweiger, Ring Bologna, Cotto Salami, Beef Jerky, Precooked Bratwurst, and Weisswurst.

7 Silver Medals: Wisconsin Summer Sausage w/cranberries & cheddar, Peppie Snack Stix, Birkie Brats w/cranberries, blueberries, & cheddar, Summer Sausage, Jalapeno & Cheddar Snack Stix, Skinless Wieners, and Smoked Salmon.

2016 Wisconsin Awards

See Photo Album of Awards!

We were honored with 13 Awards for our products at the 2016 Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors convention! This contest is the largest contest of its kind in the United States, and this year had 944 product entries. In addition, Louis E. Muench was re-elected to the WAMP Board of Directors and Louis K. Muench served as the Product Show 2nd Chairman.

Awards included:
*Excellence in Product Manufacture (Overall Highest Placing over the entire contest)
*Grand Champion – Italian Sausage
*Grand Champion – Ring Bologna
*Grand Champion – Smoked Bratwurst
*Reserve Grand Champion – Lebanon Bologna
*Champion – Louie’s Little Breakfast Links
*Champion – Turkey Salami
*Reserve Champion – Jellied Italian Luncheon Loaf
*Reserve Champion – Skin-on Wieners
*Reserve Champion – Skinless Wieners
*Reserve Champion – Smoked Polish Sausage
*Honorable Mention – Cotto Salami
*Honorable Mention – Bone-in Ham

2015 Wisconsin State Fair Awards

The Wisconsin State Fair was held in August in West Allis, WI. We received Awards for the following products:

Peppered Irish Bacon
Peppie Snack Stix

2015 National Awards

Sausage Award We attended the American Cured Meat Championships as part of the 2015 American Association of Meat Processors convention in Springfield, IL. This event was held June 18-20, 2015. We came back home with awards for the following products:

Skinless Wieners
Buffalo Salami
Summer Sausage
Bacon
Barbecue Pork Jerky

In addition, Louie received the “Golden Cleaver” award, recognizing recruitment of new members into the American Association of Meat Processors.

2015 Wisconsin Awards

We are excited to announce that we were awarded with honors for 13 of our products at the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors Convention, held in Middleton (Madison) on April 9-12, 2015. This is particularly exciting because we received our 400th award since we began competing in 1975. To see photos of the award-winning products, CLICK HERE.

The Award-Winning Products are:

Precooked Beer & Cheddar Bratwurst
Boneless Ham (Commercial Style)
Bone-In Ham
Barbecue Pork Jerky
Head Cheese
Smoked Chicken
Ring Bologna
Precooked Traditional Bratwurst
Fresh Traditional Bratwurst
Scottish Egg – Innovative Entree Item
Lebanon Bologna
Cotto Salami
Boneless Ham (Traditional Style)

2014 National Awards

On Saturday, June 21, 2014 we were honored with seven national awards at the American Cured Meat Championships in Milwaukee. The seven award-winning products are:

Bone-in Ham (Heavyweight)
Bone-in Ham (Lightweight)
Country Bacon
Slab Bacon
Boneless Smoked Deli Ham
Smoked Polish Sausage
Buffalo Salami

2014 Wisconsin Awards

April 4-6, 2014 we attended the 2014 convention of the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors in Madison, WI. We once again participated in the Wisconsin meat products competition, which is the largest contest of its kind in the United States. This year the contest set a record of 1084 product entries from around the state. We were presented with awards for 11 of our products! View our awards on Facebook!

Cooked Traditional Bratwurst
Bone-In Smoked Ham
Smoked Bratwurst
Olive Ham
Northwoods Snack Stix (with Cheddar, Cranberries, & Jalapenos)
Blood & Tongue Loaf
Boneless Smoked Pit Ham
Ring Liver Sausage
Ring Bologna
Peppered Bacon
Cotto Salami

International Medals in Frankfurt, Germany

Louie’s Finer Meats was awarded six Gold Medals, two Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal at the International Trade Fair, for the meat industry, which was held in Frankfurt, Germany in May 2007, in addition to two Gold Medals in May 1995. The sausages were judged by the highest standards for quality of workmanship and flavor. These sausages are available at our retail store or online.

Wisconsin Master Meat Crafter Certification

The Wisconsin Master Meat Crafter program is a unique program which has been developed in conjunction with the Wisconsin Specialty Meat Development Center and is supported by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection; the University of Wisconsin Meat Science Extension; the University of Wisconsin; and the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors. Six Master Meat Crafter graduates are from Louie’s Finer Meats:

Louis E. Muench: January 2012

Louis K. Muench: January 2014

William Muench: January 2014

Eric Muench: January 2016

Leif Arnes: January 2018

Andrew Seeger: January 2018

Additional Honors

We are honored to have won six Wisconsin Best-of-Show trophies for Wisconsin Summer Sausage (with cranberries & cheddar), Summer Sausage (twice!), Packer Brats (with sauerkraut & cheddar), Lebanon Bologna, and Kalberwurst; and the Excellence in Product Manufacture award three times.

Louis E. Muench was inducted into the American Cured Meats Hall of Fame in 2003, and the Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame in 2009. Louie’s Finer Meats received Wisconsin Master Meat Crafter certification in January, 2012.