Over 30 local butchers from all corners of Northern Ireland gathered at Dunbia’s facilities in Dungannon this week to experience Dick Van Leeuwen’s talent and explosive attitude towards butchery.
Renowned for his skill and innovative flair the EBLEX master butcher put on a display that has provided local butchers with some food for thought on how to grow and develop their businesses by utilising cheaper cuts of meat and using new butchery techniques to add value.
Pat O’Rourke, chairman of the Livestock & Meat Commission (LMC) commented: “It was great to see the industry coming together at an event like this and Dunbia should be congratulated for being the inspiration behind the butchery conference. Through the provision of the Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assurance Scheme (FQAS) and our programme of local promotional activities LMC is providing the tools to help support local butchers in their efforts to sell Farm Quality Assured beef and lamb. I trust that after this conference they are more aware of the support tools available to them and their businesses.”
Dunbia’s Matthew Dobson (managing director designate) added: “We are delighted with the response to the butchery conference and would like to publically thank Dick Van Leeuwen for his time and effort in making the event such a success. Dunbia is committed to working in partnership with local butchers and this event proved to be an ideal platform to develop relationships and understand each others businesses better.”
Local butcher Stephen Miller said about the event: “I thoroughly enjoyed the butchery conference at Dunbia and it was extremely insightful seeing the whole production process, I learnt a lot. I will definitely bring some of the ideas presented by Dick Van Leeuwen back to my business and discuss new cuts with my customers.”
LMC’s FQAS manager Gillian Davis concluded: “It was great to be part of this event and inform local butchers of the Farm Quality Assurance Scheme. LMC looks forward to working with local processors and butchers in the future to see how we might further develop and promote FQAS beef and lamb.”
More information and guidelines on butchery techniques from Master Butcher Dick Van Leeuwen can be found on the Eblex website www.eblex.org.uk
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
