Excellent butchery slices off top award at Cleaver

THE Excellent Food Market in Elsies River has won a platinum award in the prestigious Cleaver Awards for the third year running.

The competition is an initiative of the South African Red Meat Industry Forumand acknowledges butcheries that meet consumer expectations on in-store hygiene, the supply of quality-assured, roller-marked South African Beef, their level of competency and value for money.

Outlets are judged according to butcheries with four or more till points, butcheries with three or fewer till points, and food market or supermarket butcheries.

Excellent Food Market took the top spot for the butchery with four or more till points in the Western Cape.

The Cleaver Awards was launched 10 years ago to meet the needs of the consumer by raising standards among butcheries.

This year, there were more than 30 000 nominations from across the country.

Excellent Food Market director Ismail Sonday said: “All our stores have a wide selection of fresh lamb, beef and chicken products. We also have a big selection of sausages and burgers.

“Our stores are renowned for being hygienically clean and our products’ quality is guaranteed or your money back. The success of our stores has been our excellent staff.”

With three other butcheries in Kuils River, Athlone and Wetton, Sonday said what makes the Elsies River butchery unique is the store’s wide variety of products.

“The store also has a braai kiosk, which is very popular with customers. Between 4 000 and 5 000 customers visit our Elsies River butchery every week,” he said.

Sonday and his family’s experience in the meat industry goes back to 1970, when they opened their doors in Elsies River.

“The biggest challenge that we have is to ensure we give our customers excellent quality service and value for money,” he said.