With a Covid-19 shortage of butchers and slaughterers in parts of the world including Britain, a career in the meat industry, especially as a master butcher, is not looking like a bad idea.

Phumi Ramalepe | Business Insider SA

A master butcher is a specialist who trains others in the field.  

They are conversant in meat operation processes, from farm to fork, and know how to cut all types of beef, lamb, poultry, veal, and pork.

People who hold the position know almost everything in the butchery, and can run an entire department. This includes purchasing meat products, and down to cutting and packing that meat for distribution or sale.

While there is no set course to study to become a master butcher, obtaining the title takes many years of experience.

Currently, there are only 55 Institute of Meat accredited master butcher in the world and only five in South Africa, all of whom work for the Shoprite Group.

How to become one

In South Africa, the Shoprite Group has taken it upon itself to create Mater Butchers by launching the Master Meat Artisan Programme endorsed by the United Kingdom's Institute of Meat.

The programme takes a year to complete and requires participants who have 10 years' worth of experience in the meat industry, with at least five as a meat market manager.

Participants will need to build a portfolio of evidence that includes modules on butchery expertise, business acumen, and food hygiene and safety among other competencies.