The club of independent UK butchers who stock the Scotch brands has unveiled four new ambassadors who it hopes will drive the positive messages of the Scottish red meat industry forward.
The Scotch Butchers Club, run by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), is a scheme of more than 250 independent butchers and approved stockists who are committed to sourcing quality assured, traceable and sustainable Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.
Chosen for their contribution and commitment to modern butchery, the recently appointed ambassadors will be raising awareness of the high welfare and sustainability standards to which Scotch red meat is reared, the craft inherent to the butchery trade and will play a key role in encouraging the next generation to consider the profession.
Based at locations across Scotland, the new ambassadors are:
- Jordan McCaughan of Hugh Black and Sons, Armadale – Jordan has been working at the shop for almost seven years, completing his Level 2 and Level 3 butchery Modern Apprenticeship during this time.
- Ryan Gow from John M Munro Butcher, Dingwall – Ryan started in John Munro’s butcher shop in January 2019, moving up to the slaughterhouse in 2021 where he started in the products room before getting out onto the tables to learn boning out. Ryan completed his apprenticeship in December 2022 and now predominately works the automated bone puller at the start of the line.
- Ewan Saunderson of Saunderson’s Butchers, Tollcross, Edinburgh – Ewan joined his family business a decade ago and has been advancing his butchery and commercial skills to drive the business forward.
- Grant Duffy, Strachan’s Craft Butchers, Blantyre – Grant has been in the butchery trade for 13 years, first as an apprentice at James Ewart’s in Perthshire before moving to Lanarkshire as a fully qualified butcher. He assumed the position of butchery manager in 2020.
Gordon Newlands, brand development and Scotch Butchers Club manager at QMS, said: “Each of our ambassadors represent the very best of modern butchery and set an excellent example of what can be achieved through dedication and passion to a craft that blends traditional skills with innovative technology.
“They will play a wide-arching role in the promotion of the Scotland’s red meat industry, from Scotch-centric social media campaigns to in-person sessions that will hopefully encourage others to consider the profession.
“Butchery makes an important contribution to our local communities and wider economy, and it is essential that we continue to foster positive advancement, through buying local as consumers, to opening the eyes of youngsters to the wonders of the trade.”
Commenting on behalf of the group, Ryan Gow said: “Collectively, we are all relatively new to the industry, but see butchery as a long-term career bursting with opportunity. Our role is to not only promote what sets Scotch apart, but to demonstrate how working with fantastic products, the wider red meat supply chain and directly with customers makes for a highly rewarding job.”
The Scotch Butchers Club supports independent butchers from across the UK who stock Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork. For more information and details on how to get involved, click here.
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.
