Robbies by Mrs Pickles owner Josie Robinson, of Gore, won two medals at the Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards — a gold for her Peach & Ginger Chutney and a silver for her Pickled Onions.
At the awards last year, she won a gold and a special award for her Noir Garlik, Black Garlic Sauce and a bronze for her Honey and Balsamic Pickled Onions.
Her back-to-back wins had proved her business was "not just a one-hit wonder".
The secret to her success included "backing your gut and working damn hard".
If a supply was available, she used only high-quality ingredients from the South Island including Central Otago peaches featuring in her winning chutney.
"It’s all about local."
The suppliers of ingredients she used included Wilson’s Vege in Winton and an apiarists from Drummond.
"All of us are good at different stuff but when we all come together incredible things happen."
A stockist of her products was Links Quality Meats, a butchery in Dunedin.
She encouraged the butchers to enter the awards because they had a quality product.
"What they do is incredible."
In the competition, Links Quality Meats entered two sausages — an organwurst and tube burger — and won two gold medals.
Butcher Greg Egerton said it was the first time Links had entered the awards.
They had made 50 different sausage flavours in the shop and both of their winning entries were popular with customers.
The wins reassured them they were on the right track, he said.
All the meat and offal in the sausages was from farms in the South Island, mostly from the South.
Butcher Greg Egerton said the organwurst contained about 55% South Canterbury pork and about 45% of southern organic offal — a mix of heart, kidney and liver — and some bratwurst seasoning.
"It has a pate, terrine-type flavour."
Butcher Issac Webster said the ingredients in the tube burger sausage included ground beef — a mix of chuck and brisket — American mustard, pork fat, onion flakes, garlic powder and bread and butter pickles and pickle juice.
"As soon as you get the bite of the pickle you get the burger flavour."
Otago, Southland winners
The other 2023 Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards medal winners from Otago and Southland are:
Port Larder (three medals): Ceylon Sauce, Marmalade and Gluten-Free Tomato Sauce.
Augustines of Central (two medals): Black Peach and Tomato Chutney and Blackcurrants in Cassis.
Taste of the Alps: The Gold ]Panner Central Otago Apricot & Lemon Jam.
Earth category — silver.
Tartan Sari (two medals): Spicy Carrot Pickle and Rechard Masala Curry Paste.
Branch Creek Honey, Creamed Clover Blend Honey.
Earth category — bronze.
Augustines of Central: Strawberry & Rhubarb Jam.
Branch Creek Honey: Raw Clover Blend Honey.
Taste of the Alps: The Beekeeper Apricot Kasundi.
Miele Apiaries: Southland Creamed Clover Honey.
Paddock category — gold.
Pure South (five medals): Beef, Handpicked Lamb, Lamb, Venison and Handpicked Beef — 55-day aged.
The Kitchen Window: Basil & Honey Dressing.
Dairy category — gold.
Whitestone Cheese Co: Oamaru Blue.
Farm Fresh South: Whole Pasteurised Milk.
Dairy category — silver.
Farm Fresh South: Raw Milk.
Free from category — gold.
Pure New Zealand Ice Cream: Mango & Coconut Gelato
