Initiative sharpens skills of Northern Irish butchers
Family butchers in Northern Ireland are benefiting from a recently
launched initiative to enhance their butchery skills and business
acumen.
The innovative Butchery Excellence Scheme has been developed by
Montgomery Food Consulting, based at Aughnacloy in county Tyrone, tohelp butchers grasp the business opportunities in developing a
market trend back towards local butchers for meat purchases. The
scheme has also been designed to assist butchers keen to expand
business by adding other artisan non-meat foods to their shelves.
Upwards of 100 local butchers across Northern Ireland and in the
border regions of the Republic of Ireland have now joined the scheme developed by Rhonda Montgomery, founder and chief executive of
Montgomery Food Consulting.
She has a wealth of experience in meat processing and quality management systems with industry leaders such as Dunbia and Linden Foods, and is assisted by respected chef and food specialist Sean Owens,
the managing director.
The company, which was formed by Mrs Montgomery in 2010 and now has a team of nine experts, offers a broad range of professional
training, skills development and business growth services to
butchers, delis and independent food retailers in Northern Ireland and increasingly in the Republic of Ireland.
"Butchery Excellence is based on my knowledge and experience working with butchers over 16 years. I saw a need for such a programme
because there's an acute shortage of skilled butchers in what is one of our most important sectors. What I set out to develop was a
structured and practical programme that would develop a sustainable pipeline of skilled butchers for the retail and processing sectors," Mrs Montgomery says.
In addition to training in essential butchery expertise such as
boning, slicing, knife skills and product development, the company
offers a comprehensive portfolio of services covering food safety
procedures and accreditations such as BRC and SALSA, advice on
nutrition, allergens, hygiene, labelling and manufacturing procedures. The company is registered to deliver SALSA, HACCP and quality and food safety management training.
To promote new product development among smaller businesses,
Montgomery Consulting has a fully equipped innovation kitchen at its Moore Street offices in Aughnacloy and also plans to expand its
role by developing cookery course for the wider public. As well as
practical training schemes, the company provides expert consulting, mentoring and auditing services that can help clients achieve and
retain essential accreditations in food safety management and
hygiene. Another important initiative that could help sustain the
supply of interested and talented people for the industry is the
recent launch of a bridge building scheme with local primary schools.
This saw pupils work with family butchers on the creation of
innovative sausages including a Colcannon Banger, a pizza variety
and Sizzling Sweetness with garlic and sweet chillies. Other schemes to help create a buzz within the industry include a BBQ Butchery
Championship which will see the winning team representing Northern
Ireland at the World BBQ Championships in Memphis, Tennessee next
year.
"Among the many spin-offs of the Butchery Excellence Scheme is the
creation of a network of 'graduates' who regularly exchange ideas
and knowledge," she adds.
launched initiative to enhance their butchery skills and business
acumen.
The innovative Butchery Excellence Scheme has been developed by
Montgomery Food Consulting, based at Aughnacloy in county Tyrone, tohelp butchers grasp the business opportunities in developing a
market trend back towards local butchers for meat purchases. The
scheme has also been designed to assist butchers keen to expand
business by adding other artisan non-meat foods to their shelves.
Upwards of 100 local butchers across Northern Ireland and in the
border regions of the Republic of Ireland have now joined the scheme developed by Rhonda Montgomery, founder and chief executive of
Montgomery Food Consulting.
She has a wealth of experience in meat processing and quality management systems with industry leaders such as Dunbia and Linden Foods, and is assisted by respected chef and food specialist Sean Owens,
the managing director.
The company, which was formed by Mrs Montgomery in 2010 and now has a team of nine experts, offers a broad range of professional
training, skills development and business growth services to
butchers, delis and independent food retailers in Northern Ireland and increasingly in the Republic of Ireland.
"Butchery Excellence is based on my knowledge and experience working with butchers over 16 years. I saw a need for such a programme
because there's an acute shortage of skilled butchers in what is one of our most important sectors. What I set out to develop was a
structured and practical programme that would develop a sustainable pipeline of skilled butchers for the retail and processing sectors," Mrs Montgomery says.
In addition to training in essential butchery expertise such as
boning, slicing, knife skills and product development, the company
offers a comprehensive portfolio of services covering food safety
procedures and accreditations such as BRC and SALSA, advice on
nutrition, allergens, hygiene, labelling and manufacturing procedures. The company is registered to deliver SALSA, HACCP and quality and food safety management training.
To promote new product development among smaller businesses,
Montgomery Consulting has a fully equipped innovation kitchen at its Moore Street offices in Aughnacloy and also plans to expand its
role by developing cookery course for the wider public. As well as
practical training schemes, the company provides expert consulting, mentoring and auditing services that can help clients achieve and
retain essential accreditations in food safety management and
hygiene. Another important initiative that could help sustain the
supply of interested and talented people for the industry is the
recent launch of a bridge building scheme with local primary schools.
This saw pupils work with family butchers on the creation of
innovative sausages including a Colcannon Banger, a pizza variety
and Sizzling Sweetness with garlic and sweet chillies. Other schemes to help create a buzz within the industry include a BBQ Butchery
Championship which will see the winning team representing Northern
Ireland at the World BBQ Championships in Memphis, Tennessee next
year.
"Among the many spin-offs of the Butchery Excellence Scheme is the
creation of a network of 'graduates' who regularly exchange ideas
and knowledge," she adds.