Members of the public shouldn’t be afraid to ask their butcher about the origin of their products Letterkenny butcher Joe McGee insisted today.
Speaking following the revelation by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) that traces of horsemeat had been found in burgers on sale in some of Ireland’s largest supermarkets, Mr. McGee said shoppers seeking reassurance on the meat products they eat, should look to their local butcher.
“Small local butcher stores take great pride in knowing where their products come from, they have full traceability and I have no doubt they can reassure customers on the quality of their produce,” he said.
Mr. McGee owns Joe’s Butcher Shop in Letterkenny Shopping Centre who recently underwent a strict audit for the Craft Butchers of Ireland certification programme.
“The process involved in that audit included rigorous testing of all our health and safety processes, our traceability, preparation, labeling, storage – every aspect of the business, but we were more than happy to invite the auditors in because we want our customers to understand that we take bringing quality to them very seriously indeed.”
Joe also says he makes sure he knows his suppliers, adding that products sold in his store are freshly prepared there as well.
“Myself and my staff have peace of mind then that we can reassure our customers, not just on the origin of what we sell, but also on how it has been prepared before it’s brought to the shelves,” he said.
Indeed Joe explained that his shop encourages customer questions and interaction with staff.
“Sometimes there are fears of the impact a story like this week’s can have on the industry. I’m hoping people will realise the value of a return to basics and the fact that in smaller family-run shops like Joe’s you can get to know the staff, you can ask them questions and you can have them answered.”
That type of knowledge and interaction says Joe, could be vital over the coming weeks as concerned consumers begin once again to question the origin of the products they are consuming.
“The media attention that this story has received from the time it broke has really raised the public’s awareness on this and I’m sure there will be many consumers with concerns as a result.
“I hope that those consumers will realise the level of expertise and knowledge their local butcher has and won’t be afraid to come in and talk about any concerns they might have,” he concluded.