About
The Blackball Salami Story
Based on the rugged West Coast of the South Island, in the small town of Blackball, you’ll find the home of Blackball Salami.
The business was founded in 1992 by Pat Kennedy and Gary Secker after Pat spent time in Europe learning traditional curing and smoking techniques. What began as a small local operation has grown into a true West Coast legend, known for its bold flavours and commitment to traditional methods.
Today, Blackball Salami is owned and operated by James and Sue Hardie, who took over the business from Phil and Debbie Russ in 2025. James is a butcher by trade, having trained in Christchurch. He later spent nearly ten years in Ireland, where he and Sue met. During that time, James worked as a manager for a chain of butcheries in the south of Ireland, gaining valuable experience and learning traditional Irish butchery techniques.
Back in Blackball, those skills and traditions continue in the way we make our products today. Our salami is mānuka smoked and naturally cured, creating the bold, distinctive flavours New Zealanders have come to love.
Alongside our range of traditional dry-cured salami, we produce a variety of European-inspired small goods including traditional Black Pudding and Haggis, handcrafted sausages, mānuka smoked bacon, and other speciality meats — all made using the original recipes and methods that built the Blackball Salami name.
From our small West Coast town, we deliver nationwide and supply supermarkets, artisan butcheries, and delis across Aotearoa.
Making Blackball Salami
Our salami is made from a variation of beef, pork and venison. The differences between the various types of salami are due to the kind of meat they contain, the proportion of lean meat and the fineness or coarseness of the mixture.
The raw materials in our salami are kept exceptionally lean. Our traditional italian style salami have a fat content added. All the finest herbs and spices are used in all our products to obtain our unique quality. We use only natural wood smoke during our smoking process.
The salami is then hung and dried in our humidity/temperature controlled room. During this time, the salami lose between 20 and 30% of their original weight.
Once they have reached their maturity they are packed to production requirements ready for you, the connoisseur.
West Coast Perfection
The West Coast of New Zealand, is a narrow coastline of rugged, natural beauty. It is where the high peaks and glaciers of the Southern Alps fed clear lakes, rivers and streams. Rich with lush vegetation, it is New Zealand’s most protected region.
The town of Blackball, began life as a small gold settlement towards the end of 1865 but it was the development of the coalfield in 1893 that began Blackball’s growth, until it reached its peak of around 1200 people in 1928.
Blackball came to national prominence in 1908 during a three month strike, when the coal miners illegally withdrew their labour, in support of a half hour lunch break, which was the right of every other miner in the country. Ironically during the court case the judge adjourned the court for an hour and a half’s lunch break. The miners were eventually successful.
This success signaled to New Zealand workers the benefit of collective action and the Red Feds were formed. From then evolved the Federation of Labour and the New Zealand Labour party.
The spirit, hard work and determination of the pioneers of Blackball is strong and thriving today at the Blackball Salami Company.
It is that spirit that ensures the perfection achieved by nature, is represented in all our Blackball Salami products. We are committed to providing the very best ingredients and recipes in our range of fine foods.
West Coast Perfection, its all in the making.
