Despite the numerous obstacles faced over the past 24 months by the red meat industry, and indeed the entire South African agricultural sector, this year’s Cleaver Awards have proven that not only does this industry remain robust, but that our butchery standards are still amongst the best in the world.

Now in their 17th year, these awards, which are proudly supported by Freddy Hirsch, are honouring 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.  The awards have become well-respected by consumers countrywide as a seal of approval. This is primarily due to the fact that butcheries, once they have entered, cannot nominate themselves, as the awards are given based on customer votes. All butcheries that receive over 100 votes are then anonymously audited by The South African Meat Industry Company (SAMIC) against an extensive 212-point checklist.

“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 business. And even though many were hit hard 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 (SAFA).

Several common attributes amongst the winning butcheries have been reinforced, including training and upliftment of staff, a passion for the business, and above all else, customer-centricity, being core to any successful butchery.

The awards luncheon, held on Thursday at Emperors Palace, was attended by senior members of the meat production and retail industry, award finalists, judges and media.

A special thank-you must once again go to Freddy Hirsch for supplying the Cleaver Awards for the winners.

NATIONAL WINNERS

4 and more tills
1.        Kings Meat Deli Castle Walk Erasmuskloof               Platinum
2.        Impala Vleis Brits                                                            Gold

Up to 3 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

4 and more tills
1.        Boma meat Market Moreleta Park                               Platinum
2.        Forsmay Muslim Butchery Fordsburg                        Gold
3.        Meat World Elarduspark                                               Gold

Up to 3 tills
1.        Delft Butchery and Deli Randpark Ridge                    Platinum

Meat Market
1.        Uitkyk Meat & Supermarket Silverton                         Platinum
2.        Pick ‘n Pay Family Store Brackenhurst                        Gold

NORTH WEST

4 and more tills
1.        Vision Meat Klerksdorp                                                Platinum

MPUMALANGA

Up to 3 tills
1.        Franks Meat CBD Middelburg                                     Platinum

Meat Market
1.        Komatipoort SuperSpar                                                Platinum

FREE STATE

4 and more tills
1.        Fredilia Meat, Welkom                                                 Platinum

Up to 3 tills
1.        Tevrede Vleismark, Memel                                          Platinum

EASTERN CAPE

4 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 3 tills
1.        Hartenbos Slaghuis, Hartenbos                                   Platinum
2.        Darling Meat Market, Darling                                     Gold

KWAZULU-NATAL

4 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

4 and more tills
1.        Vleislapa – Marshall Street, Polokwane                  Platinum

Captions:

Gauteng

Faizaan Khan, Najeeb Fazli and Tosif Fazli from Forsmay Muslim Butchery, Fordsburg, Johannesburg.

Mpumalanga

Komatipoort SuperSpar’s Joe Mabunda and Pieter Koekemoer who a Platinum Meat Market Cleaver Award.

Forsmay Muslim Butchery won Gold in the 4 and more tills category for Gauteng

National Winners

Deon van Vuuren (Saveway Superspar Witbank), Eloff du Toit (Kings Meat deli Castle Walk Erasmuskloof), Clayton Lombard (Bluff Meat Supply Beach Road, Durban), Walter Rossouw (Impala Vleis Brits) and José de Klerk (West End Vleismark, Kimberley). Absent: Franks Meat Mall, Middleburg.

KwaZulu Natal

Simlindile Zondi from Bluff Meat Supply in Pietermaritzburg with Chairperson of the SA Feedlot Association, Dewald Olivier