Community

The Guild of Q Butchers was set up in 1997 to give voice to the UK's top independent retail butchers through promotion and marketing and today has 160 members.

Only Britain's best butchers are admitted to the Guild. With entry standards set to such a high calibre, prospective members must submit their entire business - shop, staff, products, procedures, and customer service - to a rigorous independent audit process by EFSIS, grading them on quality and hygiene.

I joined the Guild nearly six-years ago and am now chairman of the North East region.

When I first approached the Guild to join, I did it by going along to one of their regional meetings and I soon learned of the benefits of membership. Having a voice within a group of similarly minded shop owners was so refreshing. The opportunity to express and share ideas whether it was recipes, promotional opportunities, tips, or business advice was invaluable.

The Guild offers regular in-store promotions which are supported with posters, tray stickers and recipe info. They also have national events such as the Smithfield Awards Product Evaluation and the National Barbecue Championships.

Being a Guild member isn't just about having a nice shop and sticking a big Q sign in your window. It's a community. An active community with shared goals to be one of the best butchers in Britain.

Brindon Addy

Addy's Butchers, Yorkshire

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