NATIONAL BUTCHERS’ WEEK 23 – 29 MARCH 2015 - Celebrity chef Tony Tobin and Local Food Britain readers say #ButcherisBetter
It’s National
Butchers’ Week (23 – 29 March 2015) and food-finding network Local Food Britain
has revealed the findings of its recent customer survey, which suggest
overwhelming support for independent butchers. 93% of respondents perceive
their butcher as most trustworthy, while nine out of 10 say quality is more
important than price.
Celebrity chef
Tony Tobin of The Dining Room in Reigate, Surrey, agrees. He sources meat from
Robert and Edwards butchers just a few doors down from his restaurant, and says
he appreciates talking to a butcher about the origins of the meat. “Quality is
important to a real butcher – it’s his livelihood,” Tobin explains. “When people
ask me for dinner party advice, I always say, ‘If you do nothing else, spend on
your meat.’ Your butcher is someone you can talk to about what you need.”
Robert Hewitt,
the manager at Robert and Edwards butchers, agrees. “Shoppers are always
enlightened when they buy from us,” he says. “They find they get more flavour,
the provenance is traceable and they can get exactly what they want.”
Of the 529
people who took part in Local Food Britain’s survey, 85% said knowing they are
supporting local farmers would make them more likely to buy from a butcher,
while another 75% stated that ethical production was a factor in their choice.
In addition, more than three quarters of those surveyed indicated they would
like to know more about the local farmers who supply their butcher.
However, more
than half (55%) said they would welcome ‘at-a-glance’ price labelling,
suggesting that some shoppers find buying by weight confusing. “Many people are
used to buying a pack of chicken breasts from the supermarket for a fiver
without thinking about how much it weighs,” explains Local Food Britain
founder, Tracy Carroll. “£25 per kilo for sirloin steak might sound expensive
until you realise that an average portion is around 200g. There’s an
opportunity for butchers to improve their labelling to help consumers make
buying decisions, especially those shoppers who are on a budget.”
“The survey has
offered a fascinating insight into how people feel about butchers,” adds Tracy.
“Provenance and quality are clearly very important, and independent butchers
have a great advantage when it comes to traceability, as many have developed
strong relationships with the farmers who supply them. For instance, Robert
Hewitt sells lamb to Tony Tobin which originates from Sondes Place Farm, Dorking.
That means it travels just 6.7 miles from farm to butcher and then a few metres
along the High Street to the restaurant.”
Shoppers who
are thinking about popping into their butcher during National Butchers’ Week –
perhaps for the first time – can find a variety of tempting offers from
butchers across Surrey on Local Food Britain’s website at
www.localfoodbritain.com/offers. Meat fans can also find Local Food Britain on
Twitter as @localfoodfinder and join in the conversation using the hashtag #ButcherIsBetter.
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