News

Countryfile Visits Mettrick's

 Last week we opened our doors to the BBC's Countryfile. 

What quite a lot of people don't know is that unlike many butchers we have our own co located abattoir that supplies our retail shops with locally sourced beef, lamb & pork.

By having a co-located abattoir allows us to keep a short controlled supply chain, complete tractability from farmer to butcher to you, work with local farmers and provide quality meat to our customers from farm to fork.

Nowadays there aren't many left, due to numerous reasons. With the number of small local abattoirs declining rapidly Countryfile decided to pay us a visit to ask John his thoughts on what's happening nationally due to the commercial pressures and what some people would consider over regulation.

Hopefully it to be an interesting watch! Sunday 25th February

BBC 1 6.30pm

Don't miss it! 

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Q Guild Smithfield Awards 2019

We have been celebrating after winning Gold Awards for our Dry Cured Smoked Maple Bacon, High Peak Lamb Burger, Large Pork Pie & Steak & Ale Pie in the UK’s most prestigious competition for craft butchery products – The Smithfield Awards. The event, which is held annually by the Q Guild of Butchers recognises and rewards the excellent products that are being produced by their members, who are some of the very best butchers in the country.

Artisan butchers from across Britain were recognised in 18 categories, which ranged from Traditional Pork Sausages, Burgers, Pies & Bakery to Ready Meals and Gluten Free Products as well as Beef and Lamb products from Scotland, Wales and England. The awards were judged blind by an independent panel of food and meat industry experts at City of Glasgow College and were announced by BBC broadcaster and food expert Nigel Barden at the award ceremony on 7 February at Stationers Hall in London

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Piri Piri Pork Sausage achieves 2 Stars at the Great Taste Awards 2017

Great Taste, the world’s most coveted food awards, which celebrates the very best in food and drink, has announced the Great Taste stars of 2017. Out of over 12,300 products to be judged, we were awarded a 2-star Great Taste award, which means judges dubbed our Piri Piri Pork Sausage outstanding and described it as succulent and moreish

Judged by over 500 of the most demanding palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs and producers, as well as a whole host of food writers and journalists, Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers. As well as a badge of honour, the unmistakable black and gold Great Taste label is a signpost to a wonderful tasting product, which has been discovered through hours and hours of blind-tasting by hundreds of judges.

We have never entered the Great Taste before, after getting fantastic feedback from our sausage we decided to enter the competition this year, and my oh my didn't we do well. We have to say a massive thank you and give recognition to Reece Clayton our apprentice & Adam Gray who's been with us for 27 years, our High Street shop manager (and pretty much part of the furniture) who made the sausages, and of course all our staff, customers and suppliers for their continued support. 

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New NFMFT president announced - John Mettrick

The National Federation of Meat & Food Traders (NFMFT) has appointed independent retailer, John Mettrick, as its new president during its annual general meeting.

Jim Sperring (L) hands over the NFMFT presidency to John Mettrick (R).

Mettrick is one of the UK’s leading independent retailers and is taking over from Jim Sperring, who served as president for two years.
Following the announcement, Mettrick pledged to ensure that independent retailers continue to be engaged at Government level, adding: “The federation will be engaged with the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Food Standards Agency to try and fashion regulation in such a way that craft butchers – farm shop and processors are not disadvantaged – but are valued and recognised for the part they play in the meat industry.”
The new president also appeared positive about the opportunities for members and butchers in general, despite economic uncertainty, and commented: “We are well placed to provide unique products and a unique service that supermarkets cannot offer.
“It’s about how we sell ourselves and the language we use when engaging with our customers.”

 

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Meat Management Industry Awards 2017

Our High Peak Lamb Burger & Traditional Pork Sausage did it again!!

 
In the company of stand-up comedian and performer Miles Jupp, the 2017 Meat Management Industry Awards ceremony brought some of the very top names of the UK meat industry together on Wednesday 28th June to celebrate excellence and reward the best, as voted for by the readers of Meat Management magazine and judged by industry experts.
Around 400 guests attended the prestigious black-tie Awards Dinner at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole to network and celebrate with the winning companies, products and organisations.
With tough competition we were over the moon to be highly commended with our High Peak Lamb Burger in the Britain’s Best Burger category & getting to the finals with our Traditional Pork Sausage in the Britain’s Best sausage category.
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Coming home with a win....High Peak Lamb Burger

 We have been made national champions at the 2017 Q Guild of Butchers annual BBQ Award for their outstanding speciality burgers.

The competition, which took place  at Eastwood Hall in Nottinghamshire, saw us walk away with the prize for their High Peak Burger. We beat off a host of other butchers from across the country to take the prize at the awards dinner last night.

The judges, which included David Hughes from UK BBQ Magazine, said of the winning product:

“This was one of the hardest categories to judge but the High Peak Burger had the winning edge with its really good lamb flavour which shone through. The additional ingredients worked well not only making the burger look attractive but they married well with the lamb without detracting from the taste of the meat. ”

Winning butcher, John Mettrick, was delighted with the award:

“We are very proud of our High Peak Burger which really stands out on the counter due to its unusual triangular shape which was designed to replicate the shape of the peak. The meat is sourced from only five miles away from the shop, we butcher it all ourselves so we can ensure that only the very finest lamb is used in our burgers. To the burger we have added local Wimberries from the moors and Yorkshire fettle sheep’s cheese. We garnish the burger with some parsley and heather flowers and our customers love them!”

The BBQ Awards are held annually and are open to any of the 100 plus members of the Q Guild of Butchers throughout the UK. The seven regional heats, which took place in March, April and early May covering Scotland, Wales, South, North East, North West, East and Midlands, each delivered one winner for the national finals. 

 

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Mothers Day 2017

We have everything you need to spoil your Mum to a home cooked meal this Mothers Day!

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Best Pork Sausage at the Q Guild Smithfield Awards 2017

Steven Mettrick (Left), Tom Parker Bowles (Right)
 
J W Mettrick & Son brought home the Diamond award for
Best Pork Sausage 2017 at the Q Guild Smithfield Awards 2017.
After entering a number of products which went through rigorous judging back in October they were delighted to win gold awards for their Pork Sausage, Black eyed smoked bacon, Smokey brisket burger, Piri Piri pork sausage & the legendary large pork pie!
They went on to the finals at Ironmongers Hall in London hoping they were in with a chance to bring home an elite ‘Diamond Award’.
Steven Mettrick (Managing director) and Caroline Houghton (Office manager) had the honour of attending an excellent day hosted by the Q Guild & Chief Guest Tom Parker Bowles presenting Steven with the award .
‘After recently re-joining the q guild it is important for us to benchmark our products against other butchers to help us maintain our high standards and develop new innovative products. Butchers from all across the country compete and it was an absolute honour to be coming home with a trophy’ said John Mettrick
Our pork sausage is a family favourite and has been our best seller for decades. A traditional recipe made with free-range Packington pork, processed on site through our co located abattoir, and sold through our retail outlets.
We couldn’t have done it without Gareth Zielinski who produced the award winning sausages for the competition (on his day off)!
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Mettricks NEW Cutting facility is officially open

On Wednesday 19th August Sheila Dillon of the Food Programme on Radio 4 officially opened a new cutting plant at Mettrick’s...

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Great British Beef Week 2016

Great British Beef Week 2016 is in full swing & we've got lots to update you on!

 

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