Selling meat

[Old Boar]

Ceredigion refused to accept certificates done on line. You had to attend a course, and pay, and then do the exam. They then bought out a ruling that you had to do the course every 2 years and pay again. I looked up the rules and refused.

 

[escapedfromunderthecow]

Where do you find customers for meat boxes ?

 

[RushesToo]

Wyoming has a law that allows the on farm slaughter of cattle that are jointy owned by the farmer and the consumer.

New Wyoming Law Lets Local Ranchers Sell Cuts of Meat Directly to Consumers

Wyoming's groundbreaking Food Freedom Act has served as a national model for how states can deregulate many in-state food sales.…

reason.com

I think this is totally sensible so couldn't possibly be allowed here.

 

[Jerry]

Who do people use a couriers?

 

[Courier]

Who do people use a couriers?

Not Yodel or Hermes.

Look at DHL, APC, FedEx, or TNT.

There are some tips on here about getting the best out of them

How to get the most out of your Parcel Carrier at busy times - The inside track from the Sameday Specialists -

Here’s the 021 Sameday Tip Sheet to sending parcels with an overnight carrier. Especially useful at busy times, this guide will help you sidestep many common problems encountered by our clients in the past… PLAN...Read more

sameday24-7.co.uk

With chilled or frozen you need to allow an extra day so that if there is a problem then there is another day immediately after to sort the problem...

 

[Jerry]

Not Yodel or Hermes.

Look at DHL, APC, FedEx, or TNT.

There are some tips on here about getting the best out of them

How to get the most out of your Parcel Carrier at busy times - The inside track from the Sameday Specialists -

Here’s the 021 Sameday Tip Sheet to sending parcels with an overnight carrier. Especially useful at busy times, this guide will help you sidestep many common problems encountered by our clients in the past… PLAN...Read more

sameday24-7.co.uk

With chilled or frozen you need to allow an extra day so that if there is a problem then there is another day immediately after to sort the problem...

thanks.

 

[Courier]

If you are sending out next week then you really can only send out on Monday and Tuesday ‘cos Friday is a Bank Holiday.

 

[Greenbeast]

Who do people use a couriers?

We have used Parcelforce (only minor complaints over 5 years) and currently DPD (too soon to give proper opinion)

 

[Gulli]

Who do people use a couriers?

DHL are the best (cheapest) I've used. good service too

 

[Chasingmytail]

I thought only APC carried fresh chilled food and insured it?

I was always on edge for a call from someone to say it was a day late, warm meat/lost or unable to deliver.

 

[Chasingmytail]

Where do you find customers for meat boxes ?

When we started it - before FB etc, flyers through the door. Did thousands locally the return was utter rubbish though so then went word of mouth. The issue now is every man and his dog is doing it, but not many doing it well. Ive had some beef which was marketed well but really wasnt amazing for the cost. Things like packing mince in 250g bags so thousands of plastic wrappers - there is no need for this now mince can easily be 1kg.

The main issue is finding enough people in the one hit. No point in going to abattoir once a week it has to be 6 weekly and you need the numbers. It was an utter ball ache as people would drop out or just cancel. You would be pushing people to take it which if you wont enjoy sales not enjoyable. So you would hope that after 6 weeks that customer would return but then they would tell you they havent touched it and only see them again in 12 months time. You would stick an extra pack of sausages in the beef box and never hear from them again. Because the marketing now is expensive you have to cost that in. Start investing in leaflets, labels, etc etc youll be spending the profits for a year. To make it pay it has to be a rolling business in which you need to be able to take calls, log and provide good customer service therefore taking orders in the tractor is no good.

Shifting a beef animal you have to make sure you invest in freezers cos unless you can sell the whole lot you start the snowball of sticking few boxes then stuck in there before the next one. You cant fulfill the next request to shift the next beast the backlog is started. Its a business to requires a person with good sales technique and a good customer database.

 

[Gulli]

When we started it - before FB etc, flyers through the door. Did thousands locally the return was utter rubbish though so then went word of mouth. The issue now is every man and his dog is doing it, but not many doing it well. Ive had some beef which was marketed well but really wasnt amazing for the cost. Things like packing mince in 250g bags so thousands of plastic wrappers - there is no need for this now mince can easily be 1kg.

The main issue is finding enough people in the one hit. No point in going to abattoir once a week it has to be 6 weekly and you need the numbers. It was an utter ball ache as people would drop out or just cancel. You would be pushing people to take it which if you wont enjoy sales not enjoyable. So you would hope that after 6 weeks that customer would return but then they would tell you they havent touched it and only see them again in 12 months time. You would stick an extra pack of sausages in the beef box and never hear from them again. Because the marketing now is expensive you have to cost that in. Start investing in leaflets, labels, etc etc youll be spending the profits for a year. To make it pay it has to be a rolling business in which you need to be able to take calls, log and provide good customer service therefore taking orders in the tractor is no good.

Shifting a beef animal you have to make sure you invest in freezers cos unless you can sell the whole lot you start the snowball of sticking few boxes then stuck in there before the next one. You cant fulfill the next request to shift the next beast the backlog is started. Its a business to requires a person with good sales technique and a good customer database.

I feel like you're making things more complicated than they need to be.
Limit customer options and find yourself an outlet for odd bits or cancelled orders, if you're working with a butcher they will quite probably take them for you.

 

[Marennydd]

Would anyone be able to recommend a company or person who could supply a refrigerated container for storage?

Preferably in Wales or the Midlands.

Thanks in advance,

 

[Kidds]

Would anyone be able to recommend a company or person who could supply a refrigerated container for storage?

Preferably in Wales or the Midlands.

Thanks in advance,

Try Wem Self Storage. They sell containers and give exceptional service. I don't know if they do refrigerated but certainly worth a call.

 

[Farmer2003]

Hi, I have got 4 pigs that I am going to send to be killed and cut up and sausaged etc, I will he selling to freinds and family And a local farm shop,I have quite a few people after it so I should be able to shift it, am I best to freeze it or chill it and sell it as soon as I get it back, this is my first time doing pigs so would help any advice on what cuts to get and on the chilling and packaging. Also my plan is to send it so be killed cut and sausaged and then I pack it up at home, I have applied for a foods business from the environment agency, is there anything else I need to bare in mind ?

many help would be appreciated.

 

[Muddyroads]

As soon as you start handling the meat, you’re in different territory, depending on where you live. If you collect the meat ready packaged and simply sell it on, it’s fairly straightforward (local authority hygiene check, temperature records etc.).
If you’re packaging it, it means you’re handling the raw meat, therefore more rules apply, from hygienic premises to legally correct labelling. Easier to get the abattoir to package for you if possible.

 

[Oldmacdonald]

Hanging.

Would your van need to be refridgerated for transporting to where it hangs?
Will the hanging site be eho inspected?

 

[Old Boar]

I would have thought the pigs would be hung overnight in the abattoir after they have been killed, ready for cutting the next day. The abattoir will be fully inspected, and the pigs vet checked before and after slaughter. Pigs do not improve with hanging. The temperature thing - you have to ensure in any way possible that the meat temp does not rise when transporting, so if it enters the van at, say, 5 degrees it should be 5 or lower when you take it out. You will have to record this.
Some councils say anything below 8 and some say below 7. Bugs start growing at 8 and above.
Packing at home will need an inspection and HACCP. Weights and Measures will inspect the scale. Weights need to be tare (weight minus any packaging). Labelling scales can be hired, and then any weight problems are not yours. Sausages should be hung for a while to dry a smidge before packaging or they end up sitting in a soup. Trays are available with a sort of built in pad, and they are worth the extra money, or any cling film will fall off with the label attached!

Packing yourself involves expense and the EHO. I would recommend letting the abattoir do it this time and look further at doing it yourself when you have had a chat to the EHO.

And look into insurance. Ask at a Farmers Market for recommendations.

 

[Oldmacdonald]

I would have thought the pigs would be hung overnight in the abattoir after they have been killed, ready for cutting the next day. The abattoir will be fully inspected, and the pigs vet checked before and after slaughter. Pigs do not improve with hanging. The temperature thing - you have to ensure in any way possible that the meat temp does not rise when transporting, so if it enters the van at, say, 5 degrees it should be 5 or lower when you take it out. You will have to record this.
Some councils say anything below 8 and some say below 7. Bugs start growing at 8 and above.
Packing at home will need an inspection and HACCP. Weights and Measures will inspect the scale. Weights need to be tare (weight minus any packaging). Labelling scales can be hired, and then any weight problems are not yours. Sausages should be hung for a while to dry a smidge before packaging or they end up sitting in a soup. Trays are available with a sort of built in pad, and they are worth the extra money, or any cling film will fall off with the label attached!

Packing yourself involves expense and the EHO. I would recommend letting the abattoir do it this time and look further at doing it yourself when you have had a chat to the EHO.

And look into insurance. Ask at a Farmers Market for recommendations.

Sorry I was talking about hanging in relation to beef. Hanging off abbotoir site.