Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Despite numerous obstacles the red meat industry and indeed the entire South African (SA) agricultural sector faced over the past few years, this year’s Cleaver Awards have proven that not only does this industry remain robust, but also that our butchery standards are still among the best in the world.
Now in their 17th year, these awards, which are proudly supported by Freddy Hirsch, recently honoured the best of the best from both 2020 and 2021.
The Cleaver Awards, a Red Meat Industry Forum initiative, are held annually to recognise the country’s best butcheries based on quality, service, hygiene and value for money. Consumers countrywide have come to respect the awards as a seal of approval. This is primarily because butcheries, once they have entered, cannot nominate themselves as the awards are given based on customer votes. All butcheries that receive more than 100 votes are then anonymously audited by the South African Meat Industry Company against an extensive 212-point checklist.
Learn more about various beef cuts here.
“With lockdowns, changes in demand and shifts in consumer behaviour, our butcheries have had to become increasingly agile, in some instances transforming their approaches and accommodating new ways of doing business. And even though many were hard hit due to the pandemic, these Cleaver Awards confirm that our butcheries are still very much worth their beef,” says Dewald Olivier, executive officer of the South African Feedlot Association, which administers the awards. Several common attributes among the winning butcheries have been reinforced. These include training and upliftment of staff, a passion for the business, and above all else, customer centricity.
National winners
Four and more tills
1. Kings Meat Deli Castle Walk, Erasmuskloof: Platinum.
2. Impala Vleis, Brits: Gold.
Up to three tills
1. Franks Meat Mall, Middelburg: Platinum.
2. West End Vleismark, Kimberley: Gold.
Meat Markets
1. Bluff Meat Supply Beach Road, Durban: Platinum.
2. Saveway SUPERSPAR, Witbank: Gold.
Gauteng
Four and more tills
1. Boma Meat Market, Moreleta Park: Platinum.
2. Forsmay Muslim Butchery, Fordsburg: Gold.
3. Meat World, Elarduspark: Gold.
Up to three tills
1. Delft Butchery and Deli, Randpark Ridge: Platinum.
Meat markets
1. Uitkyk Meat and Supermarket, Silverton: Platinum.
2. Pick ‘n Pay Family Store, Brackenhurst: Gold.
North West
Four and more tills
1. Vision Meat, Klerksdorp: Platinum
Mpumalanga
Up to three tills
1. Franks Meat CBD, Middelburg: Platinum.
Meat markets
1. Komatipoort SUPERSPAR, Komatipoort: Platinum.
Free State
Four and more tills
1. Fredilia Meat, Welkom: Platinum.
Up to three tills
1. Tevrede Vleismark, Vrede: Platinum.
Eastern Cape
Four and more tills
1. Cuyler Butchery, Uitenhage: Platinum.
Meat markets
1. Levyvale SUPERSPAR, Uitenhage: Platinum.
2. Swartkops SPAR, Gqeberha: Platinum.
3. Debi Lee SUPERSPAR, East London: Gold.
Western Cape
Up to three tills
1. Hartenbos Slaghuis, Hartenbos: Platinum.
2. Darling Meat Market, Darling: Gold.
KwaZulu-Natal
Four and more tills
1. Michael Frey’s Fresh Meat, Margate: Platinum.
2. Bluff Meat Supply, Pietermaritzburg: Gold.
Meat markets
1. Bluff Meat Supply, Richards Bay: Platinum.
2. Bluff Meat Supply, Pinetown: Gold.
Limpopo
Four and more tills
1. Vleislapa, Marshall Street, Polokwane: Platinum.
– Press release, The PR Space
