100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards, brought to you by NZPork.

The 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards celebrates the country’s finest pork goods, produced from 100% New Zealand, born and raised pork from PigCare™ accredited farms.

Kiwi’s will find any excuse to eat bacon – whether it’s on its own, wrapped around a prune, in Mac’n Cheese or the classic bacon sarnie. Ham can also hold its own, and not just on the Christmas table, it’s a family staple – on pizzas, in rolls and of course you can’t beat a ham and cheese toasty! They are so popular that it’s only fitting there’s a competition to find Aotearoa’s best.

This is your opportunity to put your best products forward to be judged by a panel of culinary experts in the hopes that you’ll walk away with a medal, putting you in the spotlight with consumers, increasing your sales, and obtaining recognition within the wider industry.

The competition encompasses seven bacon categories, and three ham categories. The competition is open to all retailers who produce bacon and ham from New Zealand Pork (from PigCare™ accredited farms) and available at retail level in New Zealand.

ENTRIES OPEN MARCH 2026

NZPork is a proud supporter of the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards, celebrating craftsmanship, flavour and the quality of our world-class, born and raised New Zealand pork.

These awards recognise excellence in bacon and ham, while also championing the butchers and producers who choose to use homegrown pork.

Sourced from PigCare™ accredited farms, New Zealand pork is produced to some of the highest animal welfare and biosecurity standards in the world, underpinned by our country’s exceptional pig health status.

NZPork represents New Zealand’s pig farmers and works to support a sustainable, responsible pork industry that delivers high-quality pork to Kiwi consumers.

By supporting the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards, NZPork is proud to back local producers, celebrate the skill of New Zealand butchers, and promote the value of choosing pork that is raised and processed here at home.

Best of luck to all entrants in this year’s contest.

Brent Kleiss
Chief Executive, NZPork

Brent Kleiss, CEO NZPork and David Timbs from Peter Timbs Meats, proud winner of the 2025 100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards People’s Choice

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE COMPETITION

There have been several changes implemented in the competition. These changes have been made to improve the competition, continue to uplift the industry and shine a light on quality products made from New Zealand-born and raised pork. Please click through to the below tiles to learn more about the changes.

A new flavoured bacon category has been introduced in 2025 and will remain in the competition.
The People’s Choice Awards will run again in 2026, best of luck with engaging with your customers and followers
A new medallist format was introduced in 2024, click through on the tile for more information on this.