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Awards & Testimonials
2024 Wisconsin Specialty Meat Championships
Louie's brought home 20 Awards from the 2024 Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors (Wisconsin Specialty Meat Championships) on April 13, held in Middleton, WI. Products recognized included:
Summer Stix: Grand Champion
Natural-Casing Wieners: Grand Champion
Head Cheese: Reserve Grand Champion
Smoked Polish Sausage: Reserve Grand Champion
Wisconsin Canoe (Bacon-wrapped stuffed beef): Reserve Grand Champion
Barbecue Pork Jerky: Reserve Grand Champion
Smoked Bratwurst: Champion
Cotto Salami: Champion
Turkey Salami: Champion
Boneless Smoked Ham: Champion
Bone-in Ham: Champion
Smoked Wisconsin Bratwurst: Reserve Champion
Smoked Whole Chicken: Reserve Champion
Bacon: Reserve Champion
Kalberwurst: Reserve Champion
Dried Beef: Reserve Champion
Fine Ring Bologna: Honorable Mention
Coarse Ring Bologna: Honorable Mention
Milzwurst: Honorable Mention
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2023 Wisconsin State Fair
On Tuesday, August 8 we attended the Governor's Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction at the Wisconsin State Fair, benefiting the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation.
2023 American Cured Meat Championships
Louie’s Finer Meats Wins National Honors
ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (July 25, 2023) – Louie’s Finer Meats, Cumberland, WI won national recognition at the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC), held July 13-15, in Charleston, SC. This event is held in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP).
The ACMC draws participants from across the United States. This year, there were 583 entries in 29 product classes. In total, 56 AAMP membership plants participated in the competition. Meat processors enter their products for evaluation by judges who are meat scientists and specialists in the industry. All entries are judged based on aroma, flavor, eye appeal, color, and texture.
Louie’s Finer Meats was awarded the following 7 awards:
· Grand Champion: Sopressatta
· Grand Champion: Lebanon Bologna
· Reserve Grand Champion: Smoked Jalapeño & Cheddar Bratwurst
· Reserve Grand Champion: Braunschweiger
· Reserve Champion: Jalapeño & Cheddar Snack Stix
· Reserve Champion: Andouille (Smoked Cajun Sausage)
· Reserve Champion: Semi-Boneless Ham
“This year’s ACMC event was particularly competitive, and our judges were faced with many tough decisions,” said Chris Young, Executive Director of AAMP. “ACMC winners produce some of the best meat products in the nation, and we are proud to call them AAMP members. We congratulate Louie’s Finer Meats on their accomplishment.”
The ACMC co-technical advisors for the 2023 competition were: Jeffrey Sindelar, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wis., and Terry Houser, Ph.D., Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Louie’s Finer Meats is a member of the American Association of Meat Processors, the nation’s largest trade organization representing small businesses in the meat industry.
2023 Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors
We attended the 2023 Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors convention, April 13-16 in Madison. Our team brought home 21 awards, including the Dennis R. Buege Best of Show trophy!
*Dennis R. Buege Best of Show - Ring Weisswurst
*Grand Champion - Ring Weisswurst
*Grand Champion - Everything Bagel Bacon
*Grand Champion - Smoked Whole Chicken
*Reserve Grand Champion - Dried Beef
*Reserve Grand Champion - Chicken Cordon Bleu Bratwurst
*Reserve Grand Champion - Jalapeno & Cheddar Summer Sausage
*Reserve Grand Champion - Fine-Cut Ring Bologna
*Champion - Skinless Wieners
*Champion - Smoked Wild Rice, Cheddar, & Mushroom Bratwurst
*Champion - Traditional Boneless Ham
*Champion - Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers
*Reserve Champion - Jellied Italian Loaf
*Reserve Champion - Sweet Italian Sausage
*Reserve Champion - Commercial Boneless Ham
*Reserve Champion - Pickle & Cheddar Ham
*Honorable Mention - Mushroom & Romano Salami
*Honorable Mention - Smoked Bratwurst
*Honorable Mention - Semi-Boneless Ham
*Honorable Mention - Bone-in Ham
In addition, Megan Muench received a WAMP Scholarship and Louis K. Muench was re-elected to the WAMP Board of Directors.
A big thank you to our dedicated employees for all of their efforts!
2022 Wisconsin State Fair:
*6 Wisconsin State Fair awards!*
The winning entries were auctioned at the Governor's Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction on August 9 at the Fair, benefiting the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation. Awards included:
Grand Champion Flavored Bacon
Grand Champion Bone-in Ham
Grand Champion Dried Beef
Reserve Grand Champion Flavored Summer Sausage
Champion Smoked Specialty Bratwurst
Reserve Champion Specialty Cured Product
2022 American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC)
The 2022 national competition was held in conjunction with the 2022 American Association of Meat Processors convention, held July 13-16 in Des Moines, IA.
*Grand Champion Dry-Cured Italian Salami*
*Reserve Champion Bone-in Ham*
*Our summer intern from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Nicki, received Reserve Champion in the University Class for Cracked Pepper Smoked Turkey Breast*
2022 DFV/AAMP International Quality Competition
Louie's brings home the gold! Louie's participated in the 2022 International competition which was sponsored by the Deutscher Fleischer Verband (German Butcher's Association) and the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP). Louie's was honored with 25 International Gold Medals, the Grand Prize of Ham, and the Cup of Honor! Louie's Finer Meats received recognition at the IFFA international meat trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany in May 2022 and at the American Association of Meat Processors convention in July 2022 in Des Moines, IA.
2022 Wisconsin Specialty Meat Championships:
PRESS RELEASE - Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors
The exceptional quality of meat products produced by Louie's Finer Meats of Cumberland, WI was recognized at the 83rd annual
convention of the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors, held in Madison on April 7-9, 2022. At the Wisconsin Specialty Meat Championships held in Madison, Louie's Finer Meats received 21 awards, as follows:
Dennis R. Buege Best of Show Trophy: Italian Dry-Cured Salami
Grand Champion: Italian Dry-Cured Salami
Grand Champion: Turkey Salami
Grand Champion: Ring Gelbwurst
Grand Champion: Pickle & Cheddar Summer Sausage
Reserve Grand Champion: Smoked Whole Chicken
Reserve Grand Champion: Boneless Commercial Ham
Reserve Grand Champion: Cooked Traditional Bratwurst
Reserve Grand Champion: Smoked Traditional Bratwurst
Reserve Grand Champion: Spinach & Feta Chicken Bratwurst
Reserve Grand Champion: Bone-in Ham
Champion: German Bologna
Champion: Cooked Harvest Bratwurst
Champion: Smoked Beef Italian Sausage
Champion: Italian Gourmet Patty with Peppers, Pepperjack, & Onion
Reserve Champion: Coarse Ring Bologna
Reserve Champion: Head Cheese
Reserve Champion: Dried Beef
Reserve Champion: Louie's on the Lake Brisket Sandwich
Honorable Mention: Scottish Egg
3rd Place: Best Butcher Contest - Louis K. Muench
The Wisconsin Meat Product Competition is the largest of its kind in the United States. Meat processing plants and meat markets from throughout the state this year entered 645 individual products into 38 product categories. Over 40 judges including food scientists, out-of-state meat processors, and other food industry professionals were required to effectively evaluate the many products during the product evaluation session on Saturday, April 9th, 2022.
Individual products are scored for external appearance and eye-appeal, internal appearance, aroma, and taste, using a scale of 1,000 points.
The size of this product show and the quality of its entries demonstrates the important role that sausage and processed meats play in Wisconsin’s meat industry and among consumers across the state.
The convention also included workshops and educational sessions with UW-Madison Meat Science, a trade show with equipment and ingredient suppliers, and more. Louis K. Muench is currently serving on the WAMP Board of Directors.
Louie’s is proud to have won over 600 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:
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.
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.
2020 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cancellations: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
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:
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:
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:
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:
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