Shoprite to train Master Meat artisans

SHOPRITE has launched an internationally endorsed Master Meat Artisan Programme for its qualifying butchery managers, and will train its initial intake of 52 people to join the exclusive global club of Master Butchers.

It said yesterday in a statement that because there were only 55 Master Butchers in the world, the programme would boost the development of a particularly scarce and sought-after skill, provide career path opportunities for its employees, and put the group and South Africa on the map as world-class specialists in meat-processing practices from farm to fork.

“Of the only 55 Institute of Meataccredited Master Butchers globally, five are South Africans, all of whom are employed by the Shoprite Group. Two received the accreditation from the UK’s Institute of Meat in 2019 and a further three were certified in 2020,” it said.

The group said it had already trained about 200 people a year in butchery skills to ensure an adequate supply of talent for its stores’ Meat Markets across the country.

The Master Meat Artisan Programme takes a year to complete, and participants were required to build a portfolio of evidence that included modules on butchery expertise, business acumen and food hygiene and safety, among others. It was anticipated that 250 of the group’s qualifying butchery managers would be enrolled into this programme over the next five years.

The first intake of 52 commenced this month, Shoprite said, and all training was undertaken by the group.

The UK’s Institute of Meat would be involved in the quality assurance of the learning programme and learners’ achievements.

“The fact that the programme requires 10 years’ experience, with at least five as a Meat Market manager, to qualify, reflects Shoprite’s commitment to being on a long-term career journey with its employees by providing them with opportunities to develop their skills, increase their knowledge of meat and ultimately grow their careers,” it said.