Build Knowledge
The International Meat Sensory Program systematically deepens participants' understanding of methodology, product knowledge, and the fundamentals of sensory evaluation.
International Meat Sensory Program · Alumni NetworkInternational Meat Leadership Network
The alumni network for international meat sensory evaluation.
IMLN connects participants and graduates of the International Meat Sensory Program with mentors, sensory training instructors, and educational and media partners.
Train together. Learn internationally. Stay connected for life.
After practice
People who study together shouldn't go their separate ways afterward.
The International Meat Sensory Program establishes common methods, benchmarks, and in-depth learning experiences. IMLN ensures that these lead to long-term international connections.
IMLN is the professional community for alumni, mentors, trainers, and partners dedicated to the shared training journey. Here, connections, referrals, and experiences continue beyond the program.
The focus is on continuous learning, sensory practice, personal exchange, and the opportunity to share experiences across national and institutional boundaries.
From Training to Networking
A shared journey that continues beyond the certificate.
Training Perception
Tasting, repetition, comparison, and calibration transform knowledge into reliable sensory expertise.
Document the development
Sensory-ID™ tracks training, reference profiles, and international learning experiences in your personal Sensory Passport.
Staying Connected as Alumni
IMLN creates a space where networking, mentoring, and professional exchange continue even after the program ends.
Alumni on the Move
What the network makes possible after the program.
Four interconnected dimensions keep knowledge, perception, and relationships alive.
TRAIN
Continue training
Alumni can further deepen their knowledge of wine, contextualize their experiences from new tastings, and refine their technical vocabulary through discussion.
People and Roles
Experience guides. Training hones. Education opens up new perspectives.
The people at the IMLN are not listed in a hierarchical order, but rather according to their specific professional roles in training, mentoring, and international exchange.
01
Mentors
Experience, reflection, and professional guidance.
Mentors support alumni by sharing practical knowledge, personal experience, and an open-minded perspective on their future professional development.
MENTOR · GERMANY
Jörg Erchinger
Master Butcher, Meat Sommelier, and Cortador. 2022 WBC World Champion and specialist in game meat processing, dry aging, product innovation, and hands-on training.
Craftsmanship · Cutting Expertise · Product DevelopmentProfile to follow
MENTOR · GERMANY
Ruth Staudenmayer
Game sommelier and instructor at hunting schools. She combines expertise in game, management consulting, and coaching with personal development and new professional perspectives.
Wildlife Expertise · Education · A Change of Perspective02
Sensory Training
Perception requires guidance and repetition.
Sensory training instructors translate their professional expertise into clear, easy-to-follow exercises, comparisons, and professional dialogue.
Profile to follow
SENSORY TRAINER · GERMANY
Katharina Bertl
Master Butcher, Meat Sommelier, and Value-Added Specialist. 2022 WBC World Champion, 2025 World Runner-Up, and member of the 2025 WBC All-Star Team in the Value-Added category.
Sensory Analysis · Processing · Product Presentation03
Practice & Craftsmanship
Professional exchange requires business experience.
Experiences from the trades, the workplace, and the profession enrich sensory training by adding the perspective of everyday practice.
PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGE · GERMANY
Jürgen Müller
Master butcher and entrepreneur from Dresden, long-time guild master, and dedicated advocate for the skilled trades. In 2026, he received the Saxon Order of Merit for his long-standing professional and volunteer work.
Skilled Trades · Entrepreneurship · Professional CommunityEducation Partners
International expertise is a shared responsibility.
Education partners combine training with extensive experience in vocational education, specialized facilities, and diverse meat-processing cultures.
JAPAN · EDUCATION PARTNERSKazuhito Obara
Kazuhito Obara
, Federal Meat Academy Japan
Principal and Senior Managing Director of the Federal Meat Academy Japan. As a vocational trainer, he combines processing, quality, and traceability with international professional exchange.
Japanese Precision · Vocational Training · Quality
SWITZERLAND · EDUCATION PARTNERSSascha Fliri
Sascha Fliri
Swiss Meat Association (SFF)
A third-generation butcher and head of school operations at the SFF. His experience spans vocational training, adult education, and his work with SwissSkills and EuroSkills.
IRELAND · INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE PARTNER
Bord Bia
The Irish Food Board contributes insights on origin, sustainability, markets, and international industry networks to the professional dialogue.
Professional Development & Coordination
Ronny Paulusch · M.E.A.T. GmbH
Certified meat sommelier, international lecturer, consultant, and developer. Ronny Paulusch and M.E.A.T. GmbH bring together the International Meat Sensory Program, Sensory-ID™, and the alumni network both professionally and organizationally.
Media Partners
Knowledge becomes valuable when it is visible and accessible.
Media partners facilitate the transfer of knowledge, highlight international perspectives, and promote professional developments across national and industry boundaries.
MEDIA PARTNERS
Meat & Co.
This Austrian trade publication combines journalistic analysis with coverage of people, educational projects, and international expert perspectives.
MEDIA PARTNERS
FH Butchery
This German trade publication bridges the worlds of skilled trades, education, and entrepreneurship, and supports the application of technical topics in the workplace.
KNOWLEDGE & ORIENTATION
Learn more →MEAT Morning Briefing
The international industry briefing provides the network with the latest trends, research, expert articles, and insights from the meat industry.
One Path · Three Levels
Training, documentation, and the alumni network are all interconnected.
The three levels have different functions. It is their interaction that transforms continuing education into a long-term path of development.
01 · PLATFORM
Sensory-ID™
The digital workspace for training, tasting, references, calibration, and your personal Sensory Passport.
Explore the platform →02 · TRAININGEU · AR · JP
International Meat Sensory Program
The international training and development program for already certified meat sommeliers and professionals.
Explore the program →03 · ALUMNI
IMLN
International Meat Leadership Network
The alumni and professional network that keeps people connected with mentors, trainers, and partners after the training.
Continuing to Learn While Staying ConnectedContinuing to Learn Together
Learning brings people together. IMLN keeps that connection alive.
The alumni network is growing around the International Meat Sensory Program. The focus is on ongoing training, mentoring, international exchange, and long-term professional relationships.