The winners of the 13th Cleaver Awards were announced at a luncheon on 25 April, attended by senior members of the meat production and retail industry, award finalists, judges and media.

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.

Over 30,000 nominations received

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 %.

Butchery owners and retailers have been instrumental in taking up the challenge to guarantee their customers a better product measured against the 212-point checklist 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.

Results

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; 

1. Butcheries with four or more till points,
2. Butcheries with three or fewer till points and, 
3. Food market / Supermarket butcheries

NATIONAL WINNERS

4 and more tills

Up to 3 tills

Meat markets

GAUTENG

4 and more tills

Up to 3 tills

Meat market

LIMPOPO

4 and more tills

NORTH WEST

4 and more tills

Up to 3 tills

MPUMALANGA

Up to 3 tills

Meat market

FREE STATE

4 and more tills

Up to 3 tills

Meat market

NORTHERN CAPE

4 tills and more

Up to 3 tills

EASTERN CAPE

4 and more tills

Up to 3 tills

Meat market

WESTERN CAPE

4 and more tills

Up to 3 tills

Meat market

KWAZULU-NATAL

4 and more tills

Up to 3 tills

Meat market

The winners in each category received Platinum Awards and the runners-up Gold Awards. First prize winners in each national category received a R20,000 cash prize and a Platinum Trophy Award. The runners-up received a R10,000 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.