Ireland has become one of the most successful countries in Europe; we have developed on all fronts and markets, resulting in a faster pace of life for everyone. With economic boom there are always causalities and one such victim of the Celtic tiger is our local butcher. The village butcher may be a relic of the past to some, as most families have been swallowed up by the giant supermarket chains and the offer of cheaper meats.So does this spell the end for the local butcher or can a small independent retailer triumph against a huge adversary? Our survey on FindaRestaurant.ie found that the local butcher is alive and well with 92% agree that better quality and service is found in the smaller butcher and only 8% disagree or maybe never have had the chance to consume locally produced meat. Years ago your friendly family butcher was compared to a priest in the meat industry, like a personalized approach with a face to face meeting every week to get feedback on the quality of last weeks purchase. The local butcher shop is part of the community, support local organizations and are in touch with local issues.
Most butcher shops are independently owned, usually family run and passed through the generations. They take pride in their work, are the professionals in the meat industry. The local butcher can supply retail meat with that added value, they know their customers, and best of all they know their meat. Sometimes you would wonder why people make a separate trip just to buy meat when all the foods we need are housed in giant supermarkets. The simple answer comes down to the quality and service that we receive from the independent butcher.
In our busy lives it’s great to get that personal contact that comes from talking with the butcher. Today it is all in the news about organic foods and sure we read labels, count calories and check ingredients and when we can we go for the healthier option. The problem is that the meat department is only one section of the supermarket, there is always a mass of people searching for specials and deals and the personal advice and touch is lost.
Going by our survey the butcher is here to stay as we all like advice when purchasing meat. Butchers nearly always buy local, slaughter and process themselves so if asked they could tell you the herd number. Lately butchers have purchased small holdings and gone a step further and now rear their own herds. The quality is better, the service is better and bottom line the end product tastes nicer from the local butcher, so take that extra trip it will be appreciated back at the dinner table…..I promise.
