By James Wells

SYDNEY: Sunbeam’s barbecue king, Geoff Jansz, unintentionally helped to promote Shriro Australia’s local barbecue brand, Everdure, at the New South Wales Sausage King competition which was recently held at Darling Harbour in Sydney.

Jansz, who last month launched Sunbeam’s Innovo range of gas barbecues, turned a few sausages as well as a few heads when he was master of ceremonies at the Sausage King event which was sponsored by Everdure Norfolk gas barbecues.

Sunbeam CEO Jonathan Lord told Current.com.au that there was no intended conflict of interest at the event.

"I am sure you would appreciate that Geoff often gets invited to attend events in his professional capacity to judge various food products." Lord said.

"This was an Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation event where Geoff was specifically asked to judge Australia’s best sausage."

The Sausage King ‘cook-off’ pitted more than 100 different varieties of premium sausages against one another to determine which was the best sausage in New South Wales.

The three Everdure barbecues which were donated to the competition were later given away as prizes.

The NSW/ACT Sausage King Competition attracted approximately 250 entrants over 22 regional competitions, of which the winners then competed in the NSW State Sausage King.

The eventual five NSW State winners will proceed to the National Sausage King Finals in Perth, March next year, where their sausages will be judged against winners from every State in Australia.

According to Everdure marketing services manager, Edgi Vega, the event was created to promote Independent Local Butchers.

Everdure has confirmed that it will sponsor the national event next year which will be held in Perth. Jansz has not confirmed his involvement in the 2007 competition at this stage.