TABLE ROCK – Den’s Country Meats of Table Rock earned international acclaim this spring with an overall victory at the German Butcher’s Association quality competition in Frankfurt, Germany.

Chris Young of the American Association of Meat Processors congratulated Dennis and Kim Schaardt, Seth and Courtney Shreve and the team at Den’s Country Meats for winning 35 gold medals in sausage and 27 gold medals in ham.

The family-owned meat processing locker swept top honors in both categories at the trade fair.

Judges traveled from Germany to Iowa State University to score the American entries. The awards were officially presented in Frankfurt on May 6. A secondary ceremony is scheduled in Kansas City July 24-26.

Here is the company’s press release

 

TABLE ROCK, Neb. – May 6, 2025 – Den’s Country Meats, a family-owned and operated meat processing locker based in Table Rock, Nebraska, has achieved international recognition by sweeping top honors at the German Butchers’ Association (Deutscher Fleischer-Verband, or DFV) Quality Competition—taking first place in both the sausage and ham categories. The company earned an impressive 35 gold medals in sausage and 27 gold medals in ham, for a total of 62 gold medals—the most of any participant—earning them the title of overall competition winner.

Every three years, the German Butchers’ Association (DFV) hosts a competition in Frankfurt as part of the IFFA, the world’s leading trade fair for innovations in process technology for meat and alternative proteins. To support American participation, the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) partnered with the DFV in 2016 to host a satellite competition in the United States. DFV judges travel from Germany every three years to evaluate American-made products.

Judging for the 2025 competition took place Jan. 27–30 at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Each product starts with a score of 50 points and is evaluated based on appearance, consistency, aroma and taste. Points are deducted for any defects. Based on the final score, a product receives a gold, silver or bronze medal—or no medal at all. Products judged to have no defects and retain all 50 points are awarded gold medals.

The awards were officially presented during a ceremony hosted by the DFV at the IFFA Show on Tuesday, May 6, in Frankfurt, Germany. A second ceremony will be held during the AAMP Convention in Kansas City, July 24–26, for those unable to attend the international event. Dennis and Kim Schaardt of Den’s Country Meats traveled to Frankfurt to accept their awards.

“Judges from the DFV traveled thousands of miles to evaluate products, and the AAMP operators delivered with outstanding quality and taste,” said Chris Young, executive director of AAMP. “Congratulations to Dennis and Kim Schaardt, Seth and Courtney Shreve, and the team at Den’s Country Meats for their incredible showing.”

Den’s Country Meats is a family-owned and operated, USDA-inspected plant offering custom-processed meats, sausages, and fresh retail cuts in-store, through official retailers, and online. At just 19 years old, Dennis Schaardt purchased the locker and began operations with a small processing floor and a few pieces of equipment to serve the town of Table Rock. Today, Dennis’s wife Kim, and daughter and son-in-law, Courtney and Seth Shreve, work together as a team to grow the business and continue delivering high-quality meat products to customers.

The awards from the German Butchers’ Association underscore Den’s Country Meats’ commitment to quality and craftsmanship, setting a global benchmark in the meat industry.

“This recognition proves that world-class meat products can come from small-town, family-run businesses like ours,” said Dennis Schaardt. “Our team puts heart and dedication into every product we make for our customers.”

To learn more and shop at the Den’s Country Meats online store, visit www.denscountrymeats.com or find them on Facebook.