Just under a year ago I shared with you the story of Bob Filbrandt and his son Scott who own and operate Bob's Processing of South Haven. At that time, Bob's Meats had earned a second consecutive title as producer of Grand Champion Bacon in the entire state of Michigan. While that's impressive, now comes word of international domination — essentially the best bacon in the world.
Last month, the University of Wisconsin-Madison hosted the first-ever U.S. – IFFA Quality Competition, a precursor to an international trade show slated for Frankfurt, Germany this spring. More than 300 meat products were submitted for the mid-January test as members of the German Butchers Association, hosts of the triennial competition in April, flew to the U.S. to judge sausages, hams, bacons and meat snacks.
The upcoming IFFA Trade Show competition is considered to be one of the most prestigious in the world, seeking top meat products from around the world. Due to some customs restrictions, foreign visitors were sometimes sidelined, so the German Butchers Association teamed with the American Association of Meat Processors to hold the satellite competition ahead of the May showcase.
The same judges who will work the IFFA in Frankfort flew to Wisconsin to peruse entries there in mid-January.
Scott Filbrandt says they took their award winning Bob's Bacon to the competition along with their Braunschwieger. Delightfully, they earned a perfect score of 50 with each entry, earning two Gold Medals, which will be presented to Bob's Processing in Germany on May 10th.
The international award puts a crowning touch on the Cured Meat Competition in Lansing last winter where Bob's Bacon earned Best of Show. Bob's Bacon is a thick-sliced bacon they have been perfecting for more than two decades. At that competition they also picked up championship awards for both ham and bacon and a 3rd place finish for their smoked salmon.
The butcher shop at Bob's Processing at 70705 16th Avenue in South Haven is lined from wall-to-wall with award citations from competitions ranging from coast to coast, and now they've got a pair of international gold medals signifying they have the best bacon in the world.
Bob's Processing boasts at least half-a-dozen Best in Show awards, well more than 100 blue ribbons for everything from bacon to jerky…and from ham to chili cheese hot dogs, as well as more than 10 National Championship Awards. On the national stage they are routinely pitted against up to 500 other products.
In fact, 11 years ago in 2005, Bob's was given the American Association of Meat Processors Cured Meat Hall of Fame Award for long-standing excellence in the production of cured meats and for sharing their knowledge with others in the industry.
Bob's Processing marks 35-years in business this year, and continue to wow customers, judges and the entire international scene with championship grade products every day from their shop here in Michigan's Great Southwest.
