PAUL Lavelle and his team at Queensland Country Meats are proving themselves up against big city contenders after being named Best Retail Butcher in Queensland.

The Roma business took out the top gong at the Australian Meat Industry Council Awards on Saturday.

Mr Lavelle, who has owned the butcher shop since 2006, said it was great to be recognised for their efforts in providing a top quality product to the region.

"We were up against the type of butcher shops that have the higher end markets in Brisbane,” he said.

"So the type of butchers that sell rib fillet for $50 and $60 per kilo, and they have the clientele that will pay it. These are the people who typically win this sort of thing.

"We've gone out of our way to build something fairly tidy here and it was really nice to be acknowledged for our work.”

The awards were judged on customer service, store presentation, innovation, complying with safe food procedures, community and industry involvement and developing the team.

Queensland Country Meats topped all of these areas to take out the award.

"We strive in making sure the business is successful and it's just good to be recognised by the whole butcher's community,” Mr Lavelle said.

"We are definitely out there to please our customers but at the same time we want to impress those in the know who see butcher shops every day.”

Mr Lavelle continues to work on improving his store with a recent makeover to the business in Westlands Plaza and only 12 months ago adding an extra processing room to produce their own smallgoods.

"With all these little butcher shops closing across the country, we are aiming to compete with the convenience of the big chain supermarkets,” he said.

"We can always pip them on cost and quality but it's convenience that is hard to compete with.

"The fact that we have added to our butcher and are pushing forward is what they have recognised us for.”