Butcher (Slager)
Information on this skill...
A butcher is a craftsman who processes meat professionally, intending to sell the meat to consumers. In the past, butchers did their own slaughter work, but this is becoming less and less common. Today, slaughter work is mainly carried out in slaughterhouses. It is the slaughterhouses that provide the wholesaler with carcass parts, which are then sold to the butcher. The profession of butcher may relate to an independent butcher, or relate to a butcher who is part of a supermarket. The work of a supermarket butcher cannot simply be compared to the work of a traditional butcher. In most cases, a traditional butcher will cut out products independently, which are then sold to consumers. In short, the work of a butcher can best be described as the professional cutting of meat, including preparing meat with the aim of selling the meat. Depending on the butcher, a butcher may also specialize in certain meats, such as cattle, horses or poultry. A modern butcher usually sells not only meat, but also other products, such as ready-made products. Often, offering only meat is no longer enough to survive as an independent butcher. For many people, a good piece of meat is important. The excellent meat is bought at the butcher and not in a supermarket. For example, a butcher does not work with mechanically processed meat, as is the case in supermarkets. Nowadays, it is also increasingly common for butchers to work as caterers. In that case, the catering will mainly consist of different types of meat. Self-employed butchers are less and less common nowadays due to competition from supermarkets.
The profession of butcher therefore relates to an independently working artisanal butcher or relates to a supermarket employee. As described earlier, the activities of a supermarket butcher cannot simply be compared to the activities of a traditional butcher. If a butcher focuses on the sale of poultry, a butcher is called a poulterer. A poulterer sells the meat of turkeys, chickens and game, such as ducks, hares and deer. In addition, we know the butcher who specializes in horse meat. In that case we speak of a horse butcher. The horse butcher is almost non-existent nowadays. Horse butchers were popular in the past, because horse meat was cheaper than other types of meat. Most traditional butchers nowadays can also be classified as caterers. A caterer specializes in preparing and selling luxury daily fresh meals and snacks. In all cases, the independent boning and filleting of meat is an important part of the work. Nowadays, many people buy the meat in the supermarket and less and less at the butcher. Nevertheless, the butchers continue to exist, because people can better go to the butcher for a good piece of meat or the right advice than in a supermarket.
SLAUGHTERHOUSES
As described earlier, most butchers nowadays no longer slaughter their own meat. It is mainly the slaughterhouses that provide the wholesaler and the butcher with meat. This is mainly due to the strict hygiene rules. Slaughterhouses specialize in slaughtering pigs, cattle, chickens, calves, turkeys or sheep. In large slaughterhouses, cattle, goats and sheep are slaughtered and then prepared to be sent to the wholesaler or the butcher. Slaughterhouses are offered the cattle by various livestock farmers. Slaughterhouses have to deal with supervisors, such as the Inspection Service of Commodities, who supervise the work.
BECOME A BUTCHER
Becoming a butcher is not easy nowadays, because most traditional butchers face a lot of competition from the supermarkets. As a butcher, it is therefore important to distinguish yourself by offering extra service. This is also the main reason that traditional butchers often work as a caterer, caterer and as a home cook. These are all different activities, which fit perfectly with the profession of butcher. Most traditional butchers nowadays also have to offer other services in order to survive as entrepreneurs.
WHAT DOES A BUTCHER DO:
BUTCHER TRAINING
Whoever wants to become a butcher must first determine for himself or herself for which task exactly he or she wants to be trained, because there are multiple directions possible such as shop butcher, butcher caterer, butcher sausage maker, sales employee or production employee. During the vocational training to become a butcher, the pupils are introduced to all the factors that belong to the butcher's trade such as planning, organizing, assessing the cattle or pig, preparing the meat and preparing cooking sausages and dry sausages. But learning to bone is of course also part of the training. The butcher's training belongs to the study area nutrition. In addition, there are also plenty of external training institutes where you can follow a course. Accounting is also important as an entrepreneur.
COMPANIES WHERE A BUTCHER CAN BE EMPLOYED
A traditional butcher is a middle-class man, who has his own butcher's shop. In addition, a butcher can work for a supermarket or for a slaughterhouse. In that case, the name boner applies. Depending on the work, the training requirements can vary considerably, because the activities of a boner within a slaughterhouse cannot simply be compared with the activities of an independently working butcher. In addition, a butcher can work as a market trader.
COMPETENCES BUTCHER
The most important competence of a butcher is the all-round professional knowledge. An independently working butcher can be expected to process various types of meat into an end product. As a butcher, it is a challenge every day to be able to offer a nice piece of meat to your customers. Advising on the preparation of meat is also part of the work of a butcher. The profession of butcher is also a responsible job, because you are busy with food and you therefore have to deal with food safety. Generally important words are communication, performance, presentation, creativity, entrepreneurship, hygiene, customer focus, planning, organizing and sense of responsibility.
LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS A BUTCHER
The labour market perspective of a butcher is generally good if you have the right training. However, there is an important difference between an independently working butcher and a boner, who works for a slaughterhouse. In general, the degree will determine whether you are eligible for a job as a butcher. The career opportunities of a butcher should be seen in starting your own butcher's shop. In practice, this is not very easy anymore.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY BUTCHER
A butcher will generally fall under the collective labour agreement butcher's company, in which the employment conditions are regulated depending on the employer. An independent butcher will determine his own terms of employment. A butcher working as an employee will earn a salary between 1700 and 2500 euros gross per month, depending on age, experience and further responsibilities. In general, an independent working butcher can earn more.
The content on this page has been automatically translated from the Dutch language. For this reason, texts and videos on this page may contain small errors.
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