Two local butcheries among best in SA

MEAT lovers in the Uitenhage region can be proud, knowing this town offers two of South Africa’s very best butcheries.

This was announced last week at the fourteenth annual Cleaver Awards, held at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.

Louw van Reenen, Chairman of the South African Feedlot Association, presents Leon Slabbert from Cuyler Butchery in Uitenhage with his Platinum Cleaver Award.

Rayno Kroucamp (left) and Daan Olivier (right) from Levyvale SuperSpar in Uitenhage with their Gold Cleaver Award. Photo: ADELL DE BEER

Uitenhage’s Cuyler Butchery for the sixth year received a Platinum Cleaver Award for the best butchery in the Eastern Cape (3+ tills category).

Levyvale SuperSpar for the first time won a Gold Cleaver Award as second best butchery in the Eastern Cape (food market/supermarket category).

Butcheries cannot enter themselves, they have to be nominated by their customers.

The Cleaver Awards, which are proudly supported by Freddy Hirsch, acknowledge butcheries which meet consumer expectations on in-store hygiene, the supply of quality assured roller marked South African Beef, their level of competency in offering the best advice on meal preparations and perceived value for money.

Dewald Olivier, who was appointed as executive officer of the the SA Feedlot Association (SAFA) last year, says that since these awards started in 2005, butchery standards have significantly improved.

“Feedback from consumers shows that the majority perceive the Cleaver Awards to be a seal of approval. Most important, because butcheries cannot enter themselves, they have to be nominated by their customers,” said Olivier.

Consumers are asked towards the end of every year to vote online and nominate their best butchery.

These nominations are tallied and finalists are individually and anonymously assessed against a 212 point checklist.

This year saw over 40 000 nominations received, the biggest to date.

The Cleaver Awards are an initiative of the South African Red Meat Industry Forum.

Butcheries were judged according to three categories namely:

1. Butcheries with three or more till points

2. Butcheries with three or fewer till points

3. Food market/Supermarket butcheries

• Cuyler Butchery received a Platinum Cleaver Award for the best butchery in the Eastern Cape (3+ tills category).
• Levyvale Superspar won a Gold Cleaver Award as second best butchery in the Eastern Cape (food market/supermarket category).