“To do it so early in the journey really pumps up the tyres,” he said.
His business, Main Street Butchery in Kyabram, enjoyed success at the Australian Meat Industry Council awards on Saturday, August 29.
It received two golds for its cracked pepper Worcestershire sausage and traditional butcher hamburger. It also won silver for its cheesy jalapeno sausage, traditional beef sausage and traditional pork sausage.
This is despite the store having only reopened in February after 18 months closed.
Mr Eddy has a background in abattoirs and gardening but had always thought he’d like to own a butcher shop.
Many people will also know Mr Eddy as a City of Greater Shepparton councillor.
He said the industry was not without its challenges, adding to the value of receiving the honour.
Mr Eddy said it was a concern that many people were now buying their meat from supermarkets rather than butchers.
He said in many cases, supermarkets offered inferior products at higher prices.
His hope was that winning this award would demonstrate the value of local butchers, helping to reverse this trend.
“We love it when people come back in the door and tell us they love what they bought last week or the day before,” he said.
The store’s butcher, Brenton Northausen, has been in the industry for 20 years, having started his apprenticeship at the same shop.
“It’s been a great team effort,” he said.
He said his secret was that his sausages were all hand mixed and “mixed with love”.
“If I’m not going to eat it, I’m not going to sell it,” he said.
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