These days consumers visiting butcher shops are discerning consumers looking for quality.  In our opinion, meat is one of the categories where there is most difference in quality according to price.  Paying a little more for your meat at a quality Q Guild Butcher or other meat traders can make a huge difference to the quality a consumer receives. 

 

So, generally, it is the discerning home cook that is shopping at butcher shops these days.  The number of butchers has decreased by over 10,000 in the last 30 years, but it tends to be the ones offering quality that remain.  Even more reason, then, to supplement their offering by also stocking a range of complimentary products from a spice and sauce distributor or premium food wholesaler like Cotswold Fayre.

 

There is a huge range of products that fit the bill and even if every other consumer coming into the butcher shop to buy meat picks up one other item, then this would make a large difference to revenue at the end of the year!  The range of potential products is long and can include sauces, spices, stuffings, gravies and stocks, pastes, rubs, condiments and many more.

 

One type of product that is growing in popularity is the meal-kit type of product.  These products are designed to help the less confident cook by providing some of the ingredients and recipe instructions.  All they need to do is buy the meat! As such, they are an ideal must-stock range for butcher shops.  Tastesmiths authentic fresh meal kits are one of these types of products recently launched by Cotswold Fayre, as a meat accompaniment supplier.  Despite being a chilled product, they have a reasonably long shelf-life and initial sales have been very positive in the meat trade and speciality meat traders especially.

 

Indian flavours are the fastest growing and are a £108m category in the take-home market.  However, jarred products are declining, despite being worth £800m – 60% of all sales are jars.  Tastesmiths have created a different type of products that is appealing to younger consumers and small households and those who want to avoid waste.  The meals can be prepared with low fat and gluten-free, and of course, any kind of meat from your local butcher shop.  Available on-line at fine food wholesaler, Cotswold Fayre.

 

Another range of Cotswold Fayre products ideal for butcher shops are Potts Partnership who make a delicious range of stocks, gravies, condiments and pouring Sauces for the, butchers, farm shop and fish monger market.  A twist on the classics, Potts products transform everyday dishes into recipes for happiness!  With over 25years experience developing and producing fine food, Potts have always believed that no-one knows what their customers want better than independent butchers and consequently have always based the direction of their new product development on their customer’s feedback.

It has been well documented that liquid stocks are growing globally while solid stocks are declining. In the past three years, Potts' have seen significant growth in sales of their Liquid Stocks and Gravies, a sector which now contributes to more than 40% of their sales.

This is because solid stocks are perceived as inconvenient and overly processed whereas liquid stocks are considered cleaner and more transparent regarding their ingredients. This has been driven, in part, by the "bone broth" movement in the US.  Potts products, in particular, are noted for their interesting and rich flavours that actually deliver on taste.

Potts' now makes a range of seven delicious stocks and eight equally delicious gravies that are available to purchase from Cotswold Fayre and other butcher shops wholesalers.

Another trend that the pioneering Wiltshire based brand hopes to capitalise on is their brand new range of marinade bags. Just in time for Summer 2018, Potts' have just launched their unique and simple solution to marinating meat for the BBQ or grill.  In five contemporary flavours, the bags come pre-filled with their delicious marinades and just require you to add meat and leave to marinate. Then, once sufficiently marinated, simply lift out of the bag onto the grill. No work and no mess!