Product Dev. | Your Questions Answered

In this section of the site, Yvonne and her experienced colleagues will answer any pork related questions y

Simply submit your pork related question(s) by completing the form on the right of the page. The most constructive question submitted by a butcher during March, will be published on the 'Your Questions Answered' page of the website. In addition, that butcher will also win a complimentary bottle of Champagne.

The winning question from last month's competition is featured below:

Q. Why is the market demanding such lean meat nowadays, when a little fat keeps the meat moist?

A. Keith Fisher, butchery and product development manager answers:

Awareness of the need to eat a healthy balanced diet is becoming an ever more important part of people’s lifestyles nowadays, as research has shown that some factors relating to health problems have not been helped by diets containing high fat content. For example, excess dietary fat is considered one of several risk factors for coronary heart disease, and saturated fat tends to raise blood cholesterol (Source: British Nutrition Foundation). As a result there is an increasing demand for healthier versions of all types of food and drink.

Meat was originally considered a fatty product, so over the past 20 years production methods have been improved and butchery techniques developed to reduce the fat level of carcases and cuts.

When it comes to cooking meat, especially meat without fat, the cooking method should be dependent on the cut used to prevent it becoming dry. The best general advice is not to overcook - especially whole pieces such as steaks and joints - as it will often continue to cook inside after being removed from the pan or oven. Also, once the meat is removed from the heat, it should be left for a short while before being cut to keep the juices inside - ensuring it's moist and tasty. There are many methods of cooking with meat dependent on the cut being used and so it is advisable follow the cooking times provided, or use the guidelines featured on www.meatmatters.com/sections/cookingTips/cooking_methods.php.

Of course, most consumers - even those who are concerned about eating healthily - like to treat themselves once in a while, especially when it comes to special occasions like Christmas or Easter, or when dining out. Independent butchers are able to purchase and cut meat in line with their customers’ demands and for some people this may even include sourcing meat from traditional breeds, which have not had so much of the fat bred out of them. With a move back to traditional cuts and breeds, particularly amongst quality pub and restaurant chefs, there will continue to be a market for this type of meat as well as the leaner cuts.

Can you give us any advice on how to maximise sales during the coming weeks?

Q. This year, we have decided to really go to town with our Christmas decorations and promotions to try and attract more passing trade. Can you give us any advice on how to maximise sales during the coming weeks?

With turkey consumption generally concentrated around Christmas Day and Boxing Day, people tend to be looking for alternatives to serve to family and friends on the many other entertaining occasions that arise during the extended festive period. Pork and gammon joints are very popular at this time of year, but why not offer a range of speciality pork pies, bacon, ham and sausages as well.

Christmas is the perfect time of year for butchers to demonstrate what a difference the personal service can make - especially to younger customers who are often less confident about cooking joints, but are just as keen to impress their guests. By offering tips such as roasting times, cooking guidelines and hints on getting the crackling right, you could win their loyalty and encourage them to become regular customers throughout the year.

Christmas is also the perfect time to maximise the trading opportunity, adding value to your business in a number of ways. For example, why not look at offering party platters in the run up to Christmas, including speciality pork pies and cured meats? And as the festive period is a time when customers tend to buy larger quantities of meat, you could think about setting up an ordering and local delivery service for your customers. If that’s just not practical however, it’s a great time of year to offer advice and suggestions to customers on how to create the perfect festive meal – even if it’s just tips on how to get your crackling crunchy!'

Additionally, it is a good idea for butchers to start thinking about the different Christmas meal trimmings they can offer their customers, such as chipolatas, streaky bacon and stuffing. Good quality chipolatas are increasingly popular with customers as a trimming, but also as a snack, party nibble or appetiser. Butchers should consider trying to add different herbs, spices and complementary flavours to them to make them even more interesting.

I want to get involved in this years British Sausage Week, but don't know where to start. What can you suggest?

A. Yvonne Danson, BPEX trade sector manager answers:

British Sausage Week provides a great opportunity for independent butchers to increase sales of sausage by holding sausage tasting events, promotional offers and competitions.

I'd recommend that you focus on sausage tasting events in store, as these are easy to prepare, interesting for customers, and will appeal to local media. Such events have proved highly successful in the past, generating positive PR for individual butchers as well as British Sausage Week in general. But if you would like to organise a larger event, go for it - the bigger the better!

Timing
Choose a day between Monday 24th October and Friday 28th October - don’t arrange the tasting at the weekend as it is a bad time for media. Hold the tasting throughout the day or over a number of days, as you wish.

Try to invite the media to attend between 10.00am and 12.30pm and 2.00pm and 4.30pm - this is the best time for them.

Pre-Promoting the Event
A week before your tasting day, use the British Sausage Week promotional materials (which will be sent by the MLC in early October) together with your own posters and window displays to promote your event.

What products could I offer, that are healthy but still interesting to children?

A. Yvonne Danson, BPEX trade sector manager answers:

No single food contains all the nutrients needed but it is important to eat a wide variety of different foods. Children are not always able to eat a large amount of food in one go, so it is important to ensure that what they are getting is rich in calories and nutrients.

All red meat has a very rich source of nutrients, including a number of important vitamins and minerals, and so it is of a huge benefit if parents can include red meat within their child’s diet. Some examples of products a butcher could offer are:

Fun-shaped burgers or meatballs that use lean mince and also include some vegetables like peas, sweetcorn or tomato

Lean pork or beefsteaks, dusted with a BBQ or Sweet ‘n Sour crumb coating, which is low in sugar and salt

Low fat chipolata or cocktail sausages with an added flavour like tomato or cheese.

A. Yvonne Danson, BPEX trade sector manager answers:

Younger customers are often hesitant at buying and cooking roasting joints due time constraints and frequently a lack of cooking experience. So, offer pre-prepared roasting joints, which are labelled with clear cooking instructions. For example:

Joints that are ready stuffed and strung

Cover in a flavoured crumb coating, or insert a few herbs or garlic into the outer layer of the joint

Label the joint with its cooking time, so that they don’t have to work it out and promote the joint on its time, for instance ‘only 1 hour to roast’, rather than focussing on the price.

Create a simple ‘Guide to Roasting’ leaflet, information can be taken from www.meatmatters.com.

Offer a variety of joints at a fixed weight price, so that they don’t have to guess or work out how much a joint will cost.

How can I encourage new customers and persuade them to become repeat customers?

A. Yvonne Danson, BPEX trade sector manager answers:

Promote your shop in the local press with an attached discount voucher

Offer a trial price on a new line or product with discount vouchers for repeat purchases

Offer a free prize giveaway, such as £5 or £10 of meat or a casserole dish or cooking utensils, if a form is completed giving their details, which you can then use to let them know of future new products or promotions

If you win an award or prize at a product evaluation event, ensure the local press are aware and encourage the passing trade to try the product. You could also place posters in your shop window or around town to promote a free tasting of your winning product in store, on a particular date. You could then promote the product further with a price promotion or deal on buying more than one.

How can I make the most of the growing snacks market?

A. Yvonne Danson, BPEX trade sector manager answers:

Our research reveals that the most common type of light meals and snacks, bought by consumers during the week, are handheld foods that can be quickly purchased and eaten on the go.

These include products such as: mini pork pies, mini sausage rolls, pre-cooked cocktail sausages, pre-cooked satay sticks and mini scotch eggs.

Other popular snacks include: hot roast meat baps with an accompanying relish or sauce, such as apple, redcurrant, horseradish and pre-prepared wraps filled with slices of cooked ham and salad.

To increase sales of these products:

Try to create a deli-like area in your shop, where all these products can be grouped together

Special offers tend to work really well, so consider offering a one-off price for a pick’n mix bag of snacks

For more consumer buying information on pork pies and sausage rolls click here and request a copy of ‘Pork Pies and Sausage Rolls – A Category Report’.

What can I do to encourage consumers to buy their meat from my shop rather than the supermarket?

Q. Just over a month ago, one of the major supermarket chains opened up a small store down the road from my butcher shop, and I have already noticed a decrease in sales. What can I do to encourage consumers to buy their meat from my shop rather than the supermarket?

A. Keith Fisher, butchery and product development manager answers:

In today’s modern world, the supermarket has become the convenience shopper’s first port of call, which has undoubtedly had an impact on smaller businesses. But recent times have seen an increasing number of consumers turning back to the quality and personal service offered by high street butchers and other retailers.

Many are concerned about the provenance of the meat they buy and would rather put their trust in a butcher who sources from a tried and trusted supplier known to him. Others are simply keen to support businesses in their local community. But whatever the reason, there is an undeniable opportunity for butchers to attract new customers and become a viable alternative to the supermarket for all meat purchases.

BPEX carried out some research to gain an understanding of what customers are looking for when visiting a butcher’s shop. Butchers are certainly perceived as being trustworthy and knowledgeable - and customers trust that their meat is fully traceable back to a reputable source. But the research also suggests that there are a number of ways in which butchers could consider adapting their business to attract new customers to their shop.

For hints on attracting new business, visit the Business Building section of the Advice and Support page or click here

I have a young butcher working in my shop who is really keen to expand his knowledge of the trade. Other than sharing my knowledge and experience with him, I’m not sure what else to suggest. Can you give me any advice?

These youngsters represent the next generation in the industry and it is essential that they are given opportunities to further develop their skills. There are a number of meat courses or NVQ’s that they could complete to help increase their skills while still at work. Get them to contact the Meat Training Council on 01908 231 062 or visit www.meattraining.org.uk for more information.

Another way for budding young butchers to gain experience is to enter their products into competitions and product evaluation events, where expert judges will provide them with valuable feedback and advice.

A great way to get started would be for you to suggest he enter into our ‘Young Sausage Makers’ category in the BPEX Regional Roadshow Product Evaluation Events, which are touring the country from September 2005 until March 2006. Sponsored by The Meat Training Council, the Category is open to all young butchers, apprentices or students who are working in an independent outlet and are under the age of 25 years.

If you would like to find out more information about the Regional Roadshows, when it will be stopping in your area and how to enter, please click here.

Can you give us any advice on how to maximise sales in the run-up to Christmas?

I would like to supply catering establishments, such as local pubs and restaurants, what advise would you suggest?

Q. In the last few weeks I have had several orders from local pubs and restaurants, as they prepare for their Christmas bookings. I'd like to contact other catering outlets in the area to let them know about what we can offer them. Are there any guidelines I should consider when trading with caterers?

A. Keith Fisher, butchery and product development manager answers:

Supplying catering establishments such as local pubs and restaurants, or even schools, hospitals or care homes, can be a profitable addition to your business. Many caterers see great value in sourcing produce locally and butchers are often perfectly positioned to supply this market.

Click here for more advice on how to expand your business to supply catering outlets.

I have been asked by some Austrian customers if my shop could provide escalopes of pork for Vienna schnitzel. Apparently it is made in Vienna from pork 'undermeat', not pork fillets. Can you help?

A. Keith Fisher, butchery and product development manager answers:

The best cut to use for a schnitzel is thin slices of leg. Batten them out between two sheets of plastic, to make them thin enough ready for covering in the breadcrumb mixture.

Why is the market demanding such lean meat nowadays, when a little fat keeps the meat moist?

Meat was originally considered a fatty product, so over the past 20 years production methods have been improved and butchery techniques developed to reduce the fat level of carcases and cuts.

Its is worth noting that:

All the essential nutrients in meat are found in the lean parts.

About half the fat in lean red meat is unsaturated fat (i.e.: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated - the type that’s good for you).

Meat provides one of the major sources of monounsaturated fat in the British diet (this fat is common in the healthy 'Mediterranean' type diet).


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