I normally kill 2 animals a year, although this year I've killed a heifer rather than take my chance at auction - so that makes 3.
My good lady Hazel is packaging it up as we speak and I'm thinking I could use the following:
1. Labels as to the cuts in each bag, incorporated into the Dexter Beef brand.
2. A leaflet explaining why Dexter beef is so good
3. A recipe book for the increasing number of people who simply don't know what do do with different cuts.
Does the DCS have a Dexter beef logo? If not, it would be a very useful addition to the services offered to members.
A nice box would also be good (We do source those at present)
Presentation is everything. I am sure that those in this on a large scale don't need help from the DCS but people like us with perhaps 8 or 9 customers could do with a hand.
Anyone on Council prepared to take this up? I'm quite willing to go into more detail if required.
Edited By Peter thornton on 1193515232
Packaging Beef - Can the DCS help us small producers?
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Duncan MacIntyre
- Posts: 2372
- Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:38 am
- Location: Isle of Bute, Scotland, UK
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Rob & Alison Kirk
- Posts: 86
- Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:59 pm
Peter - We're slaughtering three animals each month. The beef is all packaged as per the 'cutting list' I send in with each animal's passport.
As we are now dealing mainly with pub/restaurants & they are taking the whole animal - each cut is vacuum packed & the whole carcass placed in approx 6 boxes, which are delivered fresh direct to the pub/restaurant from the abattoir (max journey takes 15 minutes).
The beef I have back for my 'private customers' is film wrapped, with small cuts & mince on white polystyrene trays, unless they have requested large joints, which I have vacuum packed.
All cuts whether vacuum packed or film wrapped are labelled: eg Yellow label stating: all cuts are individually labelled stating type of cut & cutting plant number. There is now also a white label with various information thereon, ie country of origin & slaughter, kill number, cutting plant & slaughter house number. It's all down to traceability.
All customers are provided with a leaflet at the outset giving details of our herd management and including a photograph of our cattle in their natural surroundings. The pub/restaurants have a laminated copy as they like to display details of the origin of the beef being supplied. I find this is sufficient for the system we operate and is cost effective.
As regards handling the beef for packaging yourselves, this is a completely different ball game from the system we are operating. All the beef we handle is packaged at the abattoir. Beef I have back home for private customers is blast frozen at the abattoir (only 10 minutes away) and kept in our freezers which are monitored on a daily basis for temperature.
Following a malicious telephone call earlier this year when we were told we should be advertising our beef as Dexter beef, amongst other things, I contacted Trading Standards (it transpired this person was known to them)...they confirmed how we operate is all in order. However, if we were handling the meat unwrapped & selling to members of the public & businesses, I was advised that was a totally different ball game. Another point they raised was that we could sell our beef as Dexter Beef, if for instance the dam was a cross-bred Dexter & the sire a registered Dexter, then the offspring could not be sold as Dexter beef, it would have to state Dexter X on the label.
If you're selling your beef at a Farmers Market or Food Fayre, etc, your own logo would certainly be advantageous.
There's no reason why you shouldn't develop your own logo, include a recipe book and give details about Dexter beef, indeed it would be a nice personal touch.
I find that when I deliver my beef, private customers put it straight into their freezers and discard the box & chefs put the meat & boxes straight into their chillers. The only thing they all look at is the invoice! I suppose our Dexter beef is now selling itself, so I just ensure it is well presented to the customer.
Good luck - I hope you find something I have written of some use.
Alison Kirk
Boram Dexters
As we are now dealing mainly with pub/restaurants & they are taking the whole animal - each cut is vacuum packed & the whole carcass placed in approx 6 boxes, which are delivered fresh direct to the pub/restaurant from the abattoir (max journey takes 15 minutes).
The beef I have back for my 'private customers' is film wrapped, with small cuts & mince on white polystyrene trays, unless they have requested large joints, which I have vacuum packed.
All cuts whether vacuum packed or film wrapped are labelled: eg Yellow label stating: all cuts are individually labelled stating type of cut & cutting plant number. There is now also a white label with various information thereon, ie country of origin & slaughter, kill number, cutting plant & slaughter house number. It's all down to traceability.
All customers are provided with a leaflet at the outset giving details of our herd management and including a photograph of our cattle in their natural surroundings. The pub/restaurants have a laminated copy as they like to display details of the origin of the beef being supplied. I find this is sufficient for the system we operate and is cost effective.
As regards handling the beef for packaging yourselves, this is a completely different ball game from the system we are operating. All the beef we handle is packaged at the abattoir. Beef I have back home for private customers is blast frozen at the abattoir (only 10 minutes away) and kept in our freezers which are monitored on a daily basis for temperature.
Following a malicious telephone call earlier this year when we were told we should be advertising our beef as Dexter beef, amongst other things, I contacted Trading Standards (it transpired this person was known to them)...they confirmed how we operate is all in order. However, if we were handling the meat unwrapped & selling to members of the public & businesses, I was advised that was a totally different ball game. Another point they raised was that we could sell our beef as Dexter Beef, if for instance the dam was a cross-bred Dexter & the sire a registered Dexter, then the offspring could not be sold as Dexter beef, it would have to state Dexter X on the label.
If you're selling your beef at a Farmers Market or Food Fayre, etc, your own logo would certainly be advantageous.
There's no reason why you shouldn't develop your own logo, include a recipe book and give details about Dexter beef, indeed it would be a nice personal touch.
I find that when I deliver my beef, private customers put it straight into their freezers and discard the box & chefs put the meat & boxes straight into their chillers. The only thing they all look at is the invoice! I suppose our Dexter beef is now selling itself, so I just ensure it is well presented to the customer.
Good luck - I hope you find something I have written of some use.
Alison Kirk
Boram Dexters
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Broomcroft
- Posts: 3005
- Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:42 am
- Location: Shropshire, England
- Contact:
I have come up with and am using a Dexter Beef logo for DBO sites. If you want to see it go to DBO Dexter Beef Logo. It could be changed but something recognisable is needed. It is very simple and easy to reproduce and I can supply images of the logo to anyone who asks. But I haven't yet got any opinions on it either apart from my wife. It needs to be simle and reproduceable, if that's a word!
I would also like to see a Dexter Beef Standard, and together with DBO members will be working on one. The standard will not be just how to finish beef, but also how they are reared, when they are weaned, etc. Maybe one already exists?
The logo should only be used on pure 100% Dexter Beef.
Edited By Broomcroft on 1193560212
I would also like to see a Dexter Beef Standard, and together with DBO members will be working on one. The standard will not be just how to finish beef, but also how they are reared, when they are weaned, etc. Maybe one already exists?
The logo should only be used on pure 100% Dexter Beef.
Edited By Broomcroft on 1193560212
Clive