Polashek’s Locker takes home five awards from Iowa Cured Meat Championships

AMES - When it comes to lockers in the state of Iowa, Howard County has some of the best in the state and every year they seem to prove it!

This year Polashek’s Locker in Protivin again won five top awards at the Iowa Cured Meat Championships which took place in Ames, Iowa this past weekend.  The Locker was one of two in Howard County that took home honors, as Elma Locker and Grocery claimed four awards.

“We always sit with the guys from Elma Locker and with them winning four and us five, we were claiming that Howard County had the most awards won in the state!” commented Adam Polashek, who lives and breaths the business as co-owner, with his brother Corey.  “Between us, we had won nine awards.  That definitely puts us on top, as some counties don’t even have a locker in place.  Just look at Winneshiek, they don’t have a single locker.”

It’s that type of pride that takes shape in making a championship product, and Polachek’s seems to do that year in and year out!  Having already won over 100 awards over the years, 2025 was no exception, taking home one Grand Champion (1st), three Reserve Grand Champions (2nd) and one Champion (4th).  

Tops were:

• Grand Champion - Center Cut Pork Loin (which is a smoked loin chop);

• Reserve Grand Champion - Canadian Bacon (sort of a cross between bacon and ham);  

• Reserve Grand Champion - Whole Muscle Beef Jerky;

• Reserve Grand Champion - Summer Sausage;

• Champion - Flavored Snack Sticks, Jalapeno & Cheese was entered.

“Ya know, every day we try to do our best, but for the convention you really have to be on the top of your game,” said Polashek, who has approximately 15 full/part time employees working at their Protivin facility. “When entering, all has to look good, taste good.  It’s like creating art.  You definitely have to put a little more work into it if you want to win something.”

Polashek added that many of his employees helped make that happen this year, and it’s their efforts and hard work that truly make the awards even more special.

Currently the retail store in Protivin has about 50 awards hanging on the walls with another 50-plus still needing to be hung up.  

“We put those up when we remodeled our display area,” said Polashek pointing to the wall you first see upon entering the locker. “I guess some day we’ll get around to putting up the rest of them.”

It’s likely that Polashek’s is one very busy place!

They deliver to 100-plus wholesale areas, such as grocery stores, gas stations and even restaurants.  

“Lately we’ve been doing some fundraisers, helping out organizations such as the Cresco FFA and Cresco Trap Shoot team,” added Polashek. “Some groups sell pizzas, but we offer something different in beef sticks, breakfast sticks, bacon and more.  Really nice to see they’re using local instead of an out-of-area company that only does that sort of thing.”

Polashek’s has been in business for 42 years, starting originally in 1983 when Paul and Judy Polashek purchased the locker, eventually passing it on to Corey and Adam Polashek.