Swansea based Robert Powell, a member of Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) Meat Minds group, has been named as one of 13 new individuals to receive Master Butcher status to coincide with National Butchers Week (3-9 March).
The beef and sheep farmer, who also works for Dunbia as a Fresh Food Operations Manager successfully completed the Institute of Meat’s rigorous assessment process and now qualifies to use the Master Butcher post nominal letters, MB.Inst.M.
Robert was selected for HCC’s 12-month Meat Minds programme last summer. It is a new initiative designed to develop and support the red meat supply chain in Wales, aimed at individuals between 21-35 years of age. The group consists of ten members who come together to learn from each other and others from within the sector, with the ultimate goal of increasing their understanding of different aspects of the industry and forging new relationships.
Robert said: “I am a seventh-generation partner in the family farm and started my butchery career as a Saturday boy at a local butcher. I am thrilled to receive this accolade as acknowledgement of my work and efforts within a sector that I love.
“My roots are in agriculture, spanning over seven generations, and over ten years with Dunbia and Dawn operations. My background in the industry has taken me from farm through to becoming a slaughterman, butcher, site manager of an abattoir and now Operations Manager in a retail site supplying all the major supermarkets. The Master Butcher title is another string to my bow, as is my involvement in the Meat Minds programme which is a fantastic opportunity to broaden my network of connections and help me develop into a fully rounded agri/red meat supply chain expert with the ability and knowledge to influence and shape the future of the Welsh red meat sector.”
As part of the group’s work, they have been tasked to co-design a project to generate new information to inform a data-driven sector. They chose to consider consumer views towards the sustainability of Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef.
HCC’s Senior Market Intelligence and Research and Development Officer, Elizabeth Swancott said: “We at HCC would like to congratulate Robert on this great achievement. He is a valued member of the Meat Minds group and an inspiration for others within the sector.
“Robert offers insight in butchery and processing to the group, as well as practical experience in red meat production. This compliments the expertise of the other members who come from a variety of professional backgrounds including retail, wholesale, grassland, sustainability and auctioneering.”
The Meat Minds group’s last session was held in north Wales last week. The day’s programme included informative presentations from individuals working within the red meat industry, a session to analyse research results and a farm walk kindly hosted by beef farmer, Dylan Jones, Castellior.
HCC works with UK retailers – from local butchers to supermarkets – who sell Welsh red meat and share on-pack promotions and competitions, as well as point of sale materials. HCC’s dedicated website for food trade can be found here: https://welshlambandbeef.com/gb/en/
