The best butcheries both nationally and regionally were announced at a luncheon earlier this month attended by senior members of the meat production and retail industry, award finalists, judges and media. This is the thirteenth year the Cleaver Awards, which are proudly supported by Freddy Hirsch, are taking place.
Launched in 2005 to meet the needs of the consumer by raising standards amongst butcheries, these Awards have time and time again proven to do just that, with feedback from consumers showing that the majority perceive the Cleaver Awards to be a seal of approval, most importantly because a butchery cannot enter themselves, they have to be nominated by their customers.
Nominations were open between October and December last year for consumers around the country to vote and nominate their best butchery. Over 30 000 public nominations were received via SMS or online. Of these, 105 finalists were individually and anonymously assessed against a 212 point checklist, with some of the National Winners scoring up to 99,8 per cent.
One of the guest speakers at the Awards ceremony was Rudi van der Westhuizen, executive director at The South African Meat Industry Company (SAMIC), a quality assurance company, which was created by the Red Meat Industry of South Africa to ensure the quality and safety of meat. SAMIC is responsible for conducting all the provincial audits on the top nominated butcheries.
Van der Westhuizen reflected on the history of the Cleaver Awards. One of the reasons for starting these Awards in 2005 was the industry’s concern over legislation and quality of meat products once they reached the consumer.
Legislation, including hygiene matters, were in place in the abattoirs and deboning plants with really high measurable standards, but once the carcasses or meat cuts left the abattoir premises, they were no longer under the jurisdiction of the Meat Safety Act. The Cleaver Awards were launched to improve the quality of the end product, especially with regards to hygiene, consumer quality assurance, service and value for money.
Butchery owners and retailers have been instrumental in taking up the challenge to guarantee their customers a better product measured against the 212 point check list used to assess nominated butcheries.
A trend which seems to be happening more and more each year is that franchise butcheries are winning multiple awards, another way these Cleaver Award winners are showing their commitment to service excellence for their customers.
Kings Meat Deli Castle Walk, Erasmuskloof has won a National Gold Award and its Lynnwoodbridge branch has won a provincial Gold for Gauteng. Similarly, Boma Vleismark Olympus from Faerie Glen, Pretoria has won a National Gold Award with Boma Vleismark from Moreleta Park taking home a Platinum Provincial Award in Gauteng.
Vleislapa Marshalstreet and Vleislapa Groblerstreet, both from Polokwane in Limpopo, have once again walked away with a Platinum and Gold Provincial Award respectively. A similar situation has taken place in Mpumalanga with Frank`s Meat Supply Retail City taking a Platinum Award and Frank`s Meat, Panorama Centre taking a Gold.
In Durban, Bluff Meat Supply from the Bluff has once again been awarded Platinum with its Pinetown store awarded Gold.
Spar Meat Markets continue to perform remarkably year on year, with 2017 being no exception.
An initiative of the South African Red Meat Industry Forum, these Awards 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.
Butchers were judged according to three categories namely:
- Butcheries with four or more till points,
- Butcheries with three or fewer till points
- Food market/Supermarket butcheries
NATIONAL WINNERS
Four and more tills
- Impala Vleis, Brits – Platinum
- Kings Meat Deli, Castle Walk, Erasmuskloof – Gold
Up to three tills
- West End Vleismark, Kimberley- Platinum
- Boma Vleismark, Olympus, Faerie Glen – Gold
Meat Markets
- The Grove SuperSpar Riverside, Nelspruit – Platinum
- Karaglen SuperSpar, Edenglen – Gold
GAUTENG
Four and more tills
- Boma Vleismark, Moreleta Park – Platinum
- Kings Meat Deli, Lynnwoodbridge – Gold
Up to three tills
- Country Meats, Fourways, Jhb – Platinum
- Forsmay Butchery, Fordsburg – Gold
Meat Market
- Uitkyk Vleismark, Silverton – Platinum
- Tony’s Meat Market, Randfontein – Gold
LIMPOPO
Four and more tills
- Vleislapa, Marshalstreet, Polokwane – Platinum
- Vleislapa, Groblerstreet, Polokwane – Gold
NORTH WEST
Four and more tills
- Goudkopslaghuis, Klerksdorp – Platinum
Up to three tills
- Uitkyk Vleismark, Lichtenburg – Platinum
MPUMALANGA
Up to three tills
- Frank’s Meat Supply Retail City, Middelburg – Platinum
- Frank’s Meat, Panorama Centre, Middelburg – Gold
Meat Market
- Crossing SuperSpar, Nelspruit – Platinum
- Saveway SuperSpar, Witbank – Gold
FREE STATE
Four and more tills
- Fredilia Meat, Welkom – Platinum
- Power Meat Centre, Welkom – Gold
Up to three tills
- Country Meat, Kroonstad – Platinum
Meat Market
- Checkers Hyper, Fleurdal, Bloemfontein – Platinum
NORTHERN CAPE
Four tills and more
- Angus Butchery, Kuruman – Platinum
Up to three tills
- Koki’s Meat Market, Kimberley – Platinum
EASTERN CAPE
Four and more tills
- Cuyler Butchery, Uitenhage – Platinum
Up to three tills
- Continental Butchery, Newton Park, PE – Platinum
- Marinda Butchery, Westering, PE – Gold
Meat Market
- Sunridge Superspar, Sunridge Park, PE – Platinum
- Our Superspar, Walmer, PE – Gold
- Newtonpark Spar, Newtonpark, PE – Gold
WESTERN CAPE
Four and more tills
- Excellent Meat Market, Elsiesriver – Platinum
- Fairfield Meat Centre, Parow – Gold
Up to three tills
- Tollies Slaghuis, Hartenbos – Platinum
- Hartman & Son Butchery, George – Gold
Meat Market
- Malmesbury Superspar, Malmesbury – Platinum
- Plattekloof Superspar, Plattekloof – Gold
KWAZULU-NATAL
Four and more tills
- Bluff Meat Supply, Bluff, Durban – Platinum
- Bluff Meat Supply, Pinetown, Durban- Gold
Up to three tills
- Dirks Meat Market, Durban North – Platinum
- Michael Freys Fresh Meat, Shelly Beach – Gold
Meat Market
- Pick n Pay, Kingsburgh, Durban – Platinum
- Food Lovers Market, Westwood Mall, Westville – Gold
The winners in each category received Platinum Awards and the runners up Gold Awards. First prize winners in each national category received a R 20 000 cash prize and a Platinum Trophy Award. The runners up received a R 10 000 cash prize as well as a Gold Cleaver Award Trophy. All of the provincial winners received either a Platinum or Gold Cleaver Award Trophy in their category.
For the first time since the inception of the Awards, there will be six consumer prizes awarded to consumers who each nominated one of the six national winners, with each of these winners receiving a Weber braai.
