Gaining Global Experience

Eager to expand his skills and knowledge, Dan ventured overseas. He worked in one of England's top award-winning butcheries, Randels, where he learned about service excellence. After two years at Randels, Dan moved to Melbourne to work at King Island Meats, an Italian-run butchery, café, and wine cellar. These experiences enriched his expertise and honed his craft.

Returning Home

In 2012, Dan and his wife Ange returned to Mangawhai and bought the butchery from Dan's parents. Since then, Dan has focused on elevating the quality and flavour of their products. Dan's passion for quality cuts, food, and flavors goes beyond a hobby; it is more like an obsession. He spends his days off tinkering in the kitchen, working on new flavour combinations. He picks kaffir lime leaves from his garden for lemongrass sausages and roasts fennel seeds for pork and fennel sausages, fine-tuning every little detail.

Award-Winning Excellence

Dan's dedication to his craft has earned Mangawhai Meat Shop numerous accolades. He represents New Zealand in the Sharp Blacks at the World Butchers Challenge and has won the Upper North Island Regional Butcher and Upper North Island Regional Young Butcher awards, among many others. Over the past decade, our sausages have won 15 awards, including 5 awards last year alone.

Representing New Zealand

In addition to his personal achievements, Dan has been selected to represent New Zealand as part of the Hellers Sharp Blacks NZ Butcher Team since 2022. Competing at the prestigious World Butchers’ Challenge, the Sharp Blacks secured bronze in 2022 in Sacramento. Dan and his teammates have been chosen not only for their outstanding butchery skills but also for their ability to work cohesively under the immense pressure of international competition. They will represent New Zealand again in Paris in March 2025, where they will compete against the world's best butchers.

Dan's Awards & Accolades

2012: Smoked Kransky - Silver

2014: Toulouse Sausage - Gold

2015: Spicy Italian - Bronze

2016: Chicken Lime & Lemongrass - Gold & Supreme Overall Winner

2017: Pork & Fennel - Bronze

2019: Beef Bean Mad Mex - Gold

2020: Thai Pumpkin & Cashew Nut - Bronze

2020: Beef Cheese & Jalapeno - Bronze

2020: Boerewors - Bronze

2022: Pork - Silver

2022: Thai Pumpkin & Cashew Nut - Silver

2022: Dry Cured Streaky Bacon - Gold

2023: Thai Pumpkin & Cashew Nut - Gold Elite

2023: Spanish Chicken - Bronze

2023: Pork & Fennel - Bronze

2023: Sweet Sticky Meatballs - Bronze

2023: 1/4 Pound Beef Brisket Burger Patties - Bronze

2016: Upper North Island Regional Young Butcher - Winner

2016: Young Butcher of the Year Finals - Runner-Up

2017: Alto Butcher of the Year - Runner-Up

2019: Upper North Island Regional Butcher - Winner

2022: Hellers Sharp Blacks Team Member (NZ Butcher Team)

2022: World Butchers Challenge - Sharp Blacks 3rd Place in the World

2024: Hellers Sharp Blacks Team Member (NZ Butcher Team)

2025: Competing in the World Butchers Challenge - Paris

Our Awards

Our Ethos and Philosophy

To passionately and consistently provide our community with the highest quality meats, expertly sourced and prepared with dedication to excellence, ensuring every customer enjoys superior flavor and satisfaction with every purchase.

Our Mission

Our Values

Family First We are a family-run business and consider our team members as part of our extended family. We believe in creating a supportive and close-knit work environment where everyone is valued and respected.

Fun and Laughter We believe a happy team leads to happy customers. Our workplace is filled with banter, laughter, and jokes, ensuring that our long hours are enjoyable. A positive and cheerful atmosphere is at the heart of our daily operations.

Creativity and Innovation Innovation is essential for our growth and keeps our passion alive. We constantly experiment with new products and explore fresh ideas, ensuring that we always offer something exciting and unique to our customers.

People-Centered People are the core of our business. We are dedicated to treating our customers with the utmost respect and making them feel special. Building strong relationships and providing exceptional service is our priority.

Loyalty and Integrity Trust and responsibility are fundamental in our small team. We have high expectations for ourselves and our staff, leading by example and fostering a culture of honesty and loyalty. We are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in everything we do.

Friendly and Caring Our team is expected to be friendly and caring towards each other and our customers. We strive to be considerate and compassionate, ensuring that everyone who interacts with us feels welcomed and valued.

Bon appetit. Kia mākona. Have a nice meal!