Posted 30/1/2012

Hi

Continuing on from last week’s newsletter where I ran through my perspective on Beef Grading I thought that I would have a look at the Lamb industry this week (which fits in well with our Australia Day that we have just celebrated).  I’m often asked the question as to why lamb is so much more expensive than it used to be.  There are a number of factors contributing to the increased Lamb prices over the years.

• Sheep numbers have dropped from a high in 1970 of just under 200 million to just 72 million in 2011 
• Exports. Whilst sheep numbers have been dropping, Lamb exports have continued to rise. 2011 was the largest ever recording of Lamb exports with 48% of our production exported.
• The good news is the quality of Lamb we are eating has improved dramatically.  The reason for this is sheep were mainly grown for their wool up until the 1990's. However with the collapse of wool prices in the 1980's, in the last 20 years we have seen a substantial increase in the quality of meat eating breeds.

Some interesting stats on who calls Australia Home 

• 500 million Chickens (over the period of a year)
• 72 million Sheep
• 55 million Kangaroos 
• 28 million Cattle
• 22 million People
• 4.5 million Pigs
• 1.5 million Feral Pigs
• 1 million Camels

So what does the average person in Australia consume each year?
(approximately)

• 42kg of Chicken.
• 32kg of Beef (In Brazil and Argentina they consume 65kg of Beef per annum)
• 22kg Pork including Bacon and Smallgoods (in Greenland they consume 69kg of Pork p/a)
• 14kg of Lamb and Mutton.

So the total meat that an Australian consumes each day is approximately 152 grams.

Christmas Club

We have set up our Annual Christmas Club where our customers can register through our online shop (www.superbutcher.com.au and click on the online shop button).  There are $150, $250 and $400 vouchers available and allows monthly instalments for the full amount to be paid off by the 30th November.

Win a CAR

This year Super Butcher is giving away a car to a lucky email customer. Check out next weeks newsletter for the details. You will be BLOWN AWAY!!!

Posted 17/1/2012

Hi

I hope you had a great weekend.  We have plenty to do this week so let's get into it.

First of all we have to arrange our prize for this year's "give -away" to our email customers. Two years ago we gave away a Harley Davidson, last year it was a jet-ski, this year the feedback is we should give away a new car. So what I thought we should do is ask if any of our email customers own or work at a car dealership and would like to do a deal. (unfortunately Ferrari, Rolls Royce and Bentley dealerships need not apply because our budget does not quite stretch that far!!!). 

We have contacted our five winners of the 'Free Meat for a Year' competition and are arranging the date for our visit to the largest abattoir in the southern hemisphere followed by lunch at Cha Cha Cha's.  Below are the five winners;



Ok, the good news is we have another week of really good specials with some great savings.  In addition to the specials below we received an extra 30 Pigs in-store on Saturday that are heading to the stores Monday morning. I have asked all managers to keep the Pork moving and to discount it all (the Pork) on Monday so come on in for a great deal.

Posted 13/11/2011

Hi,

I hope you have had a great weekend. I was hoping to have a quick email this week and maybe touch on the Commonwealth Games and how much the Gold Coast needs it. However I have had this one thing on my mind all week and I just haven't been able to shake it, so I thought I would put it on "words" and get it off my chest.

"Smokin' " Joe Frazier, one of the greatest heavy weight boxers of all time, passed away this week. What has played on my mind since hearing it, is a memory of a certain "moment" that happened in his life. It was a "life changing moment" and one that I saw in a documentary a few years back. I was talking to Elise about the circumstances of his third fight with Muhammad Ali (the Thriller in Manila). They were tied one each, from their two previous fights and going into the third and deciding fight, Ali was insulting him on a such a personal level that went well beyond the usual pre-fight taunts. Frazier had said to his team that this fight (the third) was "personal" and no matter what happens do not stop the fight. As it turned out, it was a brutal 14 round contest, probably one of the toughest in the heavyweight division (possibly in history). At the end of the 14th round, with both Ali and Frazier sitting in their corners absolutely beaten to a pulp, the "turning point" came in Frazier's life. He was sitting there with one eye fully closed and the other just a slit and he is warning his trainer NOT to stop the fight (his trainer worried about the deaths that can occur at this point in the match). In the other corner Ali, with a suspected broken jaw, is reportedly begging his trainer to stop the fight, with Ali's trainer telling him "NO" there is just one more round and that he can go on. We all know the outcome. Frazier's trainer throws in the white towel and Ali becomes the greatest fighter of all time. Frazier went on to face 38 years of that "one" binding decision and many years of inner turmoil.

I raise this because the issue of "moments" in time really fascinate me. Those times in our life that are "turning points" when you have a chance to make a right decision or the wrong decision (or sometimes, as in Frazier's case, it is out of your control).

It particularly hit home with me this week, when I caught up with an old friend from school. We had not seen each other for about 10 years. We got to talking and as it turned out he had two of those "turning points" during that time. One was making a wrong decision by having an affair that cost him his marriage and his family. The second was being in such deep depression (over the affair), that he considered taking his life. To hear that, although he reached an all time "rock bottom", he said he realised he had let his children down once and that he could not do it again. He sought help from his doctor who prescribed anti depressants.... but the best thing was, after three weeks of feeling "zonked out" he had a good hard look at himself in the mirror and said "he was the only person to change his life". Since then he has picked himself back up, taken responsibility for his actions, has a great relationship with his children (and former wife) and is so pleased that he made the right decision when he was down in the depths of depression (I should have also said to him that I also give him credit for being man enough to talk about it and I will tell him that next time I see him).

So this week, I want to raise the subject of "inner turmoil" and those turning points in time. I don't know anyone who has not made bad decisions in life or had decisions go against them. The true character of a person is how you deal with it. Joe Frazier died this week aged 69 living with a decision for 38 years that he would not have liked and in my eyes, died the true champion that he was. This week, I also caught up with an old friend, His story really touched me, obviously not for the wrong decision that he made, but for the right one and because of it, I look forward to catching up with him a lot more often.

So this week, this email is for the "person" doing it tough. Hang in there, ring a friend, have a coffee and seek the right support. 

Regards

Andrew

Posted 10/10/2011

Hi

We are on our way home from two weeks holidays and I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed it. It is the first time in over four years since I have had two weeks off in a row and the break has been exceptional.

The first thing I am excited to tell you is that Elise and I went into Harrods in London last Sunday. Of course the first and only place we ended up in was the food hall. I could not believe the prices for a start and when we stopped at the meat section, low and behold there was our Wagyu Porterhouse marble score 5- 6 for sale for a mere £175.99/kg (that is well over $320/kg Australian). Now I know Super Butcher is known for selling the highest grade Beef at exceptionally low prices, but even I was surprised to see that this was the same piece of meat we have on special at just $26.99/kg.

It is not often that I can spruik a $300 per kg saving on a piece of meat, but this week I can deliver it to you. So, just in case you missed out on buying some of this Beef during the week, we will continue this special until Wednesday. I really suggest you come in and buy a couple of steaks because at about $5 per steak they are an absolute steal. I have included a photo for you to see as the girl from Harrods was so kind to pose with the meat. By the way, she mentioned that only the rich and famous buy this product so it's a pleasure knowing that Super Butcher is able to provide the same high quality products to all of our customers here in Australia!!

Spending time with Elise's family and spreading her father's ashes was a very moving experience and I am so grateful for the hospitality provided. We met some wonderful relatives and old family friends and I am so pleased I went over.

We are just about to board the plane home after stopping for two days on the way home in Bangkok and on the opposite end of the scale from Harrods this place is a bargain shopper's paradise. I just went crazy today and bought 26 items including shirts, shorts, ties, swimmers and board shorts to last me the next two years and I spent a total of $159. I have to tell you this is the place I am definitely coming back to. Add in a 5-Star hotel at $120/night and five course meals for under $50 for the whole family, I just can't believe it. If I knew holidays could be so good I would take them more often! The best news is, I am refreshed and ready to come back to work with some great ideas and I look forward to catching up with you in store.

Have a great week and good luck with our GOLDEN Tickets in our trays of sausages!!!!

Golden ticket sausage promotion. $10,000 in golden tickets to be won. There will be 100 x $100 golden tickets. Each ticket will give you $100 to spend at super butcher. So your shopping experience may just be on us!!! The tickets will be in both our normal sausages and the gourmet sausages and the promo will run for the next 14 days.

Andrew McDonald
Super Butcher

Posted 3/9/2011

Greetings from abroad!

Our reunion with Andrew was special. I felt like I hadn't seen him for months. Time seems to fly nowadays and it is all a bit of a blur, so being with him is our anchor and unites our family at this special time. If you have never travelled overseas, I suggest to save up, as it is not cheap, but well worth the experience and the food. I have to say Italy was our best food experience as every meal, no matter what, was sensational and inspiring. They really know how to live. My favourite city was Florence and if you ever get the opportunity to go there, amongst the million other tourists, it is well worth the trip. It's a shame Andrew missed it.

One thing that we have been blessed with is the most incredible weather. It has made our trip so wonderful. We had the hottest recorded temperatures since 1895 for September and I really wish I hadn't pack so many winter woollies as it's really like our summer. Andrew and I have been looking at what's happening here food wise in Europe and we are so inspired to come back and introduce many more improvements over time. One thing for sure is that there is nothing like our business anywhere, so we are really blessed to have the choice and the range of products that we do.

Holidays give you a chance to refresh and recharge and even though each day is full the stress of being at work isn't with us and that is a welcome break. I recommend this to anyone however, do not travel through Europe with three children and Grandma without your husband, especially when it involves Paris Metro bomb scares and capsicum gas. I can still feel the burning in my lungs and it made Grandma sick for a week.

Now we are in England, it is a welcome break to understand what's going on around us and catch up with the news and in particular the Rugby world cup. We just celebrated my Aunty Irene's 90th birthday with her first taste of champagne which she thought was too sour and preferred a cup of tea. I hope I am like her if I get to her age and have her sense of humour and wit.

I wish you well and hope that you are enjoying the wonderful produce that Australia has to offer through our business and we look forward to getting back and getting into a wonderful lead up to Christmas.

Elise McDonald.

Posted 15/8/2011

Hi,

The RANT. I haven't had one for a while and Elise is down doing the shopping so I thought "what the heck" - This is what's on my mind at the moment.

The good news is if you don't like my opinion You will like this weeks specials, so just skip straight to the bottom, because I am pretty depressing this week.

Here it goes:-

There are many things I am grateful for, my parents, my family, my health and the lovely place where we live. After seeing the news this week, it has made me think about what is happening in the world at the moment. We are seeing a worldwide unrest that we have not seen for a long time. We have a tendency to look at events on the news as individual occurrences. But I am starting to think there is a bigger picture. The social unrest in London is simmering below the surface in nearly every society at the moment. The economic un-rest in Europe and the USA, the civil unrest throughout the Middle East and North Africa and drought and famine throughout East Africa. Food riots in India and Pakistan and Bangladesh. Earthquakes and Tsunami in Japan. Record unemployment in Spain, USA, Ireland and Portugal and Religious unrest in about 50 countries. l've got to say Australia is a pretty good place to be living at the moment.

It's interesting that Nostradamus, the Myan Calendar, certain tribes of American Indians and many other groups have all "predicted" what is being perceived as the end of the world in 2012 and many people believe that both the Bible and Koran are saying we are in the time referred to as "the end of days".

I am not sure what you believe and maybe you don't want to even think about it (which might be a good thing) however what we think does not change the facts and the old adage of "where there is smoke, there is fire" might start to prove correct. Considering many of the problems in the Middle East are a combination of Religion and Politics, the continued call by fundamentalists (Iran) for the annihilation of Israel is of great concern. I think that "all out war" in the Middle East is inevitable. So, I might be a crazy person, but I think we will see an escalation of chaos around the world over the next 15 months with the main event being an attack on Israel that will result in a major war and oil at $200-$300 Barrel (you can make your own assumptions on what $200 barrel oil will do to western economies).

I think we also need to be aware of what is happening at home. Although we are being told 'how lucky we are" and "how good our economy is at the moment", I have never seen my customer base so discontented with the Government. We have a two speed economy in Australia and although the banks, mining companies and supermarkets are delivering record profits, normal families and small businesses are generally doing it tough (especially since the flood). The good news is over the last two months, with the collapse in the Export Market, we have been able to reduce the average price of a basket of meat purchased by about 18%, so I know I don't have to worry about food riots at Super Butcher!!!

I just hope the other issues causing unrest do not manifest themselves here in Australia and I hope that my current take on the world is completely wrong.

Andrew McDonald

Posted 8/8/2011

Hi

Well being on the road has been an interesting experience for Andrew, myself and all our staff during this weekends "Container Sale" in Sydney and Melbourne. We drew straws with the team and Andrew and I both got Sydney and I have to say what a pleasant experience it has been. We were overwhelmed with the response from the Today Tonight story on Thursday night. They have been such a great allies to have and we really appreciate the opportunity they have given us to provide this meat promotion to their Sydney and Melbourne viewers.

THANK YOU! We were so happy with the response we received from you (our email customers) sending last Sundays newsletter to their friends and families down south. With your help we knew we were going to be busy this weekend however it went to the next level on Thursday night at 7pm when our telephone system went into MELTDOWN with what turned out to be 20 phone calls per second coming into our Yatala office. We love being busy and our customers know that we pride ourselves on "Sensational Service" but with the overwhelming response of "ONLINE SALES" we have struggled so I hope "patience is a virtue" for our new Sydney and Melbourne customers. We have also had to learn patience when dealing with delivery companies that we have never dealt with before. The best news is the people who have received the meat have said that it is worth the wait. We have learnt a lot from this weekend and we will make sure we do even better next time.

The trip to Sydney for Andrew and I to "sell out the back of a container" was so much fun. It has been such a great opportunity to take this superb meat on the road and share it with people who have never eaten decent meat before. It made me realise how meat has become such an important "spend" in the weekly /monthly budget and my opinion is that if you are going to spend those hard earned dollars, then it should be delicious because after all, isn't that our reward for working so hard? We had so many customers come and buy the meat on Saturday, then return Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning to buy more that it was very satisfying to know they were so happy.

Our Melbourne experience was a bit different. Not for the lovely people but for the fact that at 2.00pm on Friday afternoon, we were told we couldn't sell "container style" in Melbourne (the rules are different in Victoria to what they are in NSW and Queensland) and we were told we could only sell in an "approved car park" and Caulfield Racecourse somehow, was one that was not approved.... go figure??? So all those people turned up excited to get this wonderful meat and found they had to order on-line which overloaded our new delivery system in Melbourne, to which the couriers then struggled and consequently have not lived up to their promises. So yes ... the pressure this weekend was definitely on and we really get frustrated when it doesn't all go to plan, so an enjoyable weekend with Andrew turned out to be him on the phone (it seems for the rest of our married life) resolving glitches.

There is a huge amount of planning and preparation involved doing these "Crazy Weekends" with early mornings and bleary eyes from long days (and some staff working all the way through the night) but I can't help but smile at the laughter and great conversation along the way and the camaraderie that results after being with a team for such long hours over the last three days. I have to say a huge THANK YOU to our staff who dedicated their weekend to make our weekend a success. Our staff are our greatest asset and without them we would not be doing what we do today.

Have a great week.

Elise McDonald

Posted 6/6/2011

Hi,

I was absolutely disgusted with what I saw last Monday night on Four Corners in regards to the treatment of Australian cattle in Indonesia. If you didn't see the program then no doubt you have heard the outcry to immediately ban the Live Export of cattle. I FULLY support this ban, the images that I saw on Monday night were absolutely sickening and if it were to occur in Australia the people involved would be jailed and shamed. I have attached two links to today's newsletter, the first is a link to the story, which I encourage you NOT to watch unless you want to be brought to tears. The second link is to sign a petition calling for the immediate ban being co-ordinated by the RSPCA and Animal's Australia to stop the Live Export of cattle. I encourage you to get on board and sign this petition and send the link to as many people in your address book if you haven't already done this. Unfortunately, from my abattoir experience, I do not believe the Indonesian people can be "trained" to humanely deal with cattle. Their culture, lack of education and that of the *HALAL* slaughter ritual over there is disgraceful. This filming was not done under cover it was openly filmed in numerous plants showing just how ignorant these people are of animal welfare issues. It was highlighted on the show by one of the slaughtermen when he said that the "meat" tastes better if the animal is slaughtered "their" way rather than the cattle being humanely restrained.

• Four Corners Story - Viewer Discretion advised.
• Petition - Sign the Petition to *Stop Live Exports*

I understand that the Northern Cattle farmers have relied on this market, but after seeing this video how anyone could justifiably ask for this market to be re-opened is beyond me. The only way I believe it could ever be re-opened is AFTER 100% of the slaughter facilities in that country have the equivalent cattle handling procedures that we have in Australian abattoirs (AND THAT INCLUDES THE COMPULSARY USE OF A "MUSHROOM" BOLT GUN instead of their barbaric act of slitting the throat of the animal while it is still alive.

I personally believe that if the Indonesians want our much loved and well looked after cattle, they should pay for the costs of implementing this (approximately $10 Million). Not one dollar of our hard earned Australian money should be given as "relationship" money to fix the multitude of issues and changes that need to be implemented. The Indonesian government needs to pay for the changes, that way they get an understanding on what is expected. If the Indonesians don't pay for the changes, they won't appreciate what it takes. Now, considering we are talking about a third world country, I would expect to never see this happen, regardless of how many years MLA work together with them. There are just too many cultural differences and while we are patiently waiting, thousands of cattle are still brutally killed. If any money needs to be spent by MLA, I think it should stay in Australia, boosting a fragile Abattoir and farming industry and trying to arrest the possible slide in consumption because of all this disturbing footage. The last thing we need is Australians eating less Beef because of what happens in Indonesia.

Ok, now I have that off my chest, the good news is after 3-4 months of record meat prices, we are starting to see some unbelievable deals. We are continuing the Riverina Rumps special this week. For 'value for money against quality' this is one of the cheapest pieces of meat we have ever sold. 150-200 days Grainfed Beef at $7.99/kg is nearly unheard of. I suggest you turn this into three different meals. Get the first two slices of Rump diced for a casserole, the next 3-4 slices as Rump Steaks and then the balance left as a Rump Roast. That's Rump Steak, Diced Steak and a Roast all for $7.99/kg.

Why is it so cheap?? This highly prized Beef is nearly always exported to Japan however, since the earthquake the Japanese meat market has collapsed, their cold stores are now "bulging" with high priced meat and consumers are not buying, so wholesale companies are cancelling orders from Australia. This week I have stuck my hand up for approximately 5-10 containers of some of the highest prized Beef money could buy at absolutely bargain based prices. I figure if the abattoirs are going to sell these containers cheap, it is better it stays here with us rather than head overseas to the Russians, Koreans or the Yanks!! Add the Rump to our other specials and we have one of our best weeks ever.

Andrew McDonald

Posted 16/5/2011

Hi,

Today's subject is "Hormones in Beef".

I often get asked the question on which Beef we sell contains Hormones and which Beef doesn't. I have included a couple of links for you to use if you are seeking further information from that which I have included below.

• Article 1
• Article 2

As a "Rule of Thumb" here are a few numbers that you can keep in the back of your mind.

1. Hormones are used in about 5% of the Southern Grassfed cattle industry.
2. Hormones are used in approximately 90% of the Grainfed Industry.
3. Hormones are used in the Northern Australian Grassfed Industry (which is Beef we do not sell).
4. 100% of the Wagyu Beef we sell is Hormone Free.
5. 100% of the Tasmanian and Cape Grim meat that we sell is Hormone Free.
6. 100% of the King Island Meat that we sell is Hormone Free.
7. 95% of the Grassfed Beef that we sell is Hormone Free.
8. 99% of the Veal we sell is Hormone Free.
9. 99% of the Grassfed Black Angus that we sell is Hormone Free.

Now if I had my way, 100% of the Beef we sold would be "Certified Hormone Free", however because of our size, I am just not in a position to be able to "demand" that all of our suppliers guarantee the Beef they supply to us is Hormone Free under a registered program. Instead I just have to continually work with the more progressive and supportive suppliers.

For the record, there is one area I do not want you to be fooled on. Coles is a large user of "budget Beef". Budget Beef, as our regulars would know, is the second lowest grade of Beef in the Beef chain (old cows/mothers) and these cattle are part of the "production factory" and they are generally never given Hormones. So it is very easy to put a program in place when the cattle you have always been using are Hormone Free. The main point here is:- Hormone free or not - old cow budget beef is still low grade garbage that in my opinion should only be sold as mince. But, I have to give them credit, they have done a wonderful marketing campaign on selling it.

Ok, so on the subject of naturally raised Beef, below are this weeks specials:

Before I go onto the specials though, the "meal ideas" with the $50 budget for seven days was very popular last week, so here are my thoughts this week.

Feed a family of four people with Gourmet meals for under $50.

• Monday - Rib Fillet Steak or Lamb Cutlets (1kg) $15 (with steamed vegetables).
• Tuesday - Organic Chicken Drumsticks (1.2kg) $5 (marinated and then roasted and served with Chips).
• Wednesday - Lamb Shank Stew (1.2kg) $10. See this recipe here or in store.
• Thursday - Lasagne and Salad (three Lasagne x 400 gram = 1.2kg) = $9
• Friday - Bocastle Hand Made Pies with steamed vegetables and chips(4= $12) (with mashed potato, gravy).
• Saturday - Beef and Vegetable Sausages $4
• Sunday - Roast Chicken (Organic) with roast vegetables $15 (this is a 2kg chicken, so plenty left over for the childrens sandwiches at school).

Ok, so it didn't come in at $50 this week, but you are eating Rib Fillet Steak and Organic Roast Chicken at $10 per meal per night ($2.50 per person). That's pretty darn good!!!!

Andrew McDonald

Posted 11/4/2011

Hi,

There has been plenty of talk lately about the all time record highs that are being paid for Cattle and Lamb in Australia. I have included a couple of graphs showing prices over the last three years so that you can see the increase.

Over the last 12 months we have seen "staple" food items reach record highs world wide, so it looks as though many items on the Supermarket shelves are increasing and will be staying higher.

World Prices
Corn - Double the price of last year.
Wheat - up 68% in 12 months
Cotton - 140 year record high.
Soy Bean - Up 45% in last 12 months.
Rice - Up 10%

So there certainly is a re-alignment upwards in food prices that, by all accounts, is here to stay.

What are we doing to keep our prices down?

We have been blessed in Australia over the past 50 years with very cheap meat and the truth is, in comparison to other countries and other food items, Beef, Pork and Chicken is still relatively cheap. The good news is, over the last three weeks we have been cutting costs wherever we can to keep our prices low. We have cut costs in our office, our warehouse and everywhere we spend money in an attempt to keep our prices on the shelf the same. Over the last six weeks we have raised the prices on just 30 items we sell, yet we have made sure that we have also reduced the price on approximately 30 items as well. This has come about by introducing a larger tray on certain items (for instance we used to sell MSA Rump on a small tray at $19.99/kg. We now sell it at $13.99/kg on a larger tray as well). The one thing we are unwilling to do is sell lower grade Beef. We expect that every item you buy from us is perfect and if it isn't, I want to know about it.

I want to also remind our customers on three smarter ways to save money.

1. "Shop the Specials". We have Lamb Loin Chops on this week at $10.99/kg and Super Premium Rumps at $9.99/kg. Both of these items in comparison are exceptionally good value and when you see an item that you normally use that is cheap, buy it and freeze it. Generally once an item is frozen it is good for 1-2 years.
   
2. Another option you should look at if you want to save even more money is change the "cut" of meat that you buy. We had visitors over for lunch recently and my wife asked me to pick up an Eye Fillet (the pressure is always on at my house when we have a BBQ to deliver something exceptional) however I bought home a "Heart Smart" Chairman's Choice Porterhouse that was $13/kg cheaper instead. It turned out to be one of the best Steaks we have eaten in the last 12 months. The same can be said with many items in store. Also, as our customers who have attended the Beef Appreciation course know, use the right cut of meat for the right style of cooking. So many customers still use higher cost cuts for stews and casseroles, when the cheaper cuts are actually better. So ask one of the staff members for some advice.
   
3. Buy in Bulk. Buy a whole cut and in most circumstances, save $10/kg-$15/kg. $10/kg is a lot of money when you translate that over a 5kg cut ($50). So where practical, buy in bulk and then portion it and freeze the meat for use over the following weeks (yes, we slice all whole cuts for FREE).

Posted 21/3/2011

Hi,

An early one today, as I have to duck off to work and the staff think I am "lazy" if I am at my desk and not down helping them.

First of all just a reminder that the Eye Fillet special finishes today (Buy 3 get 2 for FREE). Ring the neighbour or in-laws because now is the time to get in and buy them as it may be a couple of months before I can put this special together again.

Thank you to everyone who responded to my newsletter last week. For the first time in a long time I have not had the chance to respond to everyone. It was very interesting to read over the 300 responses and the overwhelming message (95%) from people is that the economy (apart from Mining) is doing it tough at the moment and it is not the appropriate time for Australia to take the lead on Carbon and impose a tax.

I think the 3 most interesting pieces of information I received was that:-

1. There are over 30,000 Scientists (including 10,000 with a PHD) that do not agree with the current global warming theories.
   
2. A Carbon Tax of $25 per tonne would raise a Massive $11.5 Billion in revenue. (and that won't have any effect on our living expenses???)
   
3. Carbon as a % of the atmosphere is a minuscule 380 parts per million. To put that in perspective it is generally regarded that the atmosphere is approximately 100kms high. That is the distance between the NSW Border and the Brisbane CBD. If you were to walk that distance, take your first four steps and that is how much carbon is in the air relative to the distance. Then depending on who you ask 60-90% of carbon is generated by Nature and then re-consumed by Nature (that's what trees breathe). Anyway, that was last weeks rant. Let's leave it to last week and move on.

This week I want to touch on something boring like Lamb and Pork (something that I may actually know something about). I have received emails from customers asking about the price of Lamb and why it has gone up to record levels in the past 12 months.

In a very summarised view, the Australian sheep herd has dropped from 185 million sheep in 1988 to just over 75 million sheep today. With the higher quality Lamb that Australia now produces compared with 20 years ago, Lamb is becoming much more popular both domestically and overseas, to the point that 45% of all Lamb now produced in Australia is exported overseas. So in simple terms, with an increase in demand and a reduction in supply the obvious happens. For the record Lamb has increased from approximately $90 head to $180 head in the last three years. I think we will now see farmers increase Lamb herds thus increasing supply however, it maybe a couple of years before we see any correction in prices, so it is something we are going to have to get used to.

So what's my advice to combat this and save some money?

I recommend two things:-

1. To watch the pennies, try "the next chop down". If you have always eaten Lamb Cutlets but now find them too expensive, try Lamb Loin Chops (Lamb T/Bone) they are my favourite. Or, if you have traditionally eaten Loin Chops try the Lamb BBQ chops. A simple thing like this still keeps Lamb on the table and it saves you money.
   
2. Put some Pork on your Fork!! - Pork over the last 20 years has also changed dramatically for the better. From the thick rim of fat to the 'Lean Tick of Approval' Pork in Australia it is still very cheap and items such as the fresh rack of Pork that we are selling at the moment for $12.99/kg is $20/kg cheaper than a Lamb Rack (and is there anything better than crackling???).

Posted 14/3/2011

Hi,

My wife is away today, so I get to say whatever I want (and remember, the comments below are my own opinions) without her leaning over me saying "I can't write that".

I just think my newsletter's each Sunday have become so boring over the last 18 months that I have had to resort to talking about meat and cattle and the different grades of Beef. I mean, how boring is that??? I much preferred it when I enjoyed a glass of red every Sunday night and wrote whatever I damned well wanted to and the best thing was, I didn't get complaints from my customers about it. Nowadays with "Political Correctness" gone crazy I even receive emails from people saying that I am "racist" because I have a crack at the Kiwis and the South Africans during rugby season. I mean, can you believe it, the South Africans calling me racist??? That has to be the "pot calling the kettle......" hmmm, let's say multi coloured shall we?

The good news is that the Kiwi's have not lost their sense of humour. I received a great email during the week from a customer that went as follows;

Today though, I am not going to talk about Rugby (our time for gloating is still six months away), especially when it looks like we have a new Prime Minister. I am assuming that no announcement has taken place as yet and so he is just directing policy from the Prime Minister's office but in any case, he is currently getting everything that he wants, so I would just like to congratulate Bob Brown in his new role. I would also like to congratulate him on getting three of his policies as the main issue in Parliament at the moment.

1. Mining Levy.
2. Gay Marriages and
3. A Carbon Tax.

Now in Bob Browns perfect world we would all be gay vegetarians working for the Government on alternative energy projects. The problem is, we would all starve to death because there would be no livestock (sorry but they produce 20% of Australia's Carbon emissions due to flatulence). There would be no large scale farming of crops because that degrades the natural landscapes. Seafood? - sorry, how dare we upset the imbalance of the world's oceans (Australia would become a marine reserve for the next 25 years?). Mining? - as if I have to write something here. But that's okay, we would all still have a job wouldn't we?? Not in Bob's eye's because businesses are "Bad" and must be taxed more to support the less fortunate people that studied Marine Biology or Political Science and live in Byron Bay on Government handouts. Unfortunately Bob has some great ideologies however if they were all to come to fruition we would all be subsistence farming with organic vegetables in our back yard (which would be difficult for his 'Dual Income, No Dependant's' supporters living in high rise buildings in the city).

So, the Carbon Tax. This is where I have a real problem at the moment. From my side of the "butchers' block" and talking to our customers, things are pretty damn tough at the moment. We have a two speed economy with the mining industry and banks making billions at the moment, but the balance of Australia is teetering on a recession (and by the way, we are damn lucky the banks and the mining industry are making money or we would be like the rest of the world).

The Gold Coast Bulletin said during the week that a massive 30,000 jobs have been lost in hospitality, retail and manufacturing on the Gold Coast since the downturn. Brisbane is struggling since the floods and the amount of people who thought they were insured and aren't, has got to be of great concern to everyone. Plus the real estate market is depressed and banks have started to repossess high-end housing if the loan amount (LVR's) cannot be reduced to 70% of new valuations (even if the interest is being paid!!!!). HMMM!! Sometimes I wonder.............

Rents are not reducing, water is up, electricity is up, petrol is the most expensive it has ever been and a family living on $700 per week is probably doing it tougher now than they ever have. In fact, nearly everyone I am talking to nowadays require the second parent to bring in some sort of income to make ends meet. This is before we have to face the possibility of higher interest rates later in the year if the Reserve Bank looks to cool off the Mining industry's effect on inflation.

I am sorry but if you are not working in three industries at the moment (Mining, Banking or the Government) I would reckon you are doing it pretty tough and your employer is doing it pretty tough as well. That's only talking about the people with jobs. What about the pensioners and the unemployed at the moment. I really don't know how they are surviving. I swear our grocery bill is up $50 a week at the Supermarket over the last 12 months (thank goodness I know a good Butcher). People must be hurting - the Salvation Army on the Gold Coast says they are now turning 20 people away every day empty handed.

So, considering Australia emits just 1.2% of total carbon each year (and none of the other major World Economies have a Carbon tax), now is NOT the time to be taxing the Australian people more. I know that for some people there is a lovely feel that you will get thinking you are helping the environment but I was reading during the week that the top five countries in the world emit more carbon in a week than Australia does in a year. Now I know we should be going with the "Think Globally and Act Locally" slogan however a carbon tax at the moment is like me telling the family we are not going to turn the electricity on each Sunday, when we live next to Carrara Stadium and the Gold Coast Suns are playing a night game.

So, Julia on the issue of Carbon tax (and taxes in general) at the moment, spread your wings get some advice from someone outside your (and Bob's) group of Urban Living, "Dual Income No Kids" sensory group and you will find that if you want to keep your job, the time to sing "Save the World" and 'Kumbayah' (pronounced 'Koom Bye Yah') is not until the economy improves. The risk you have Julia in doing a deal with the devil is already showing in the polls. Bob may keep you in power for this term, but Labour voters are the working families of Australia and taxing them now will put you in the unemployed line at the next election.

PS. In the meantime, Julia check your knife cabinet when you go away next time because if your approval rating stays as low as it is now, the one that you used on K. Rudd last year may well get sharpened when you are away.

Posted 28/2/2011

Hi,

I receive many emails asking about meat quality and different grades of Beef. I touched on (last month) the different breeds of cattle that affect eating quality so this week I thought I would touch on the different Grades of Beef that affect eating quality. I often refer to there being approximately 10 grades of Beef, so I will run through them with you with some pictures to give you a good idea. Please be aware this is MY definition and may create a difference of opinion with some people.

(From Worst to Best).

1.) Manufacturing Grade - The Worst Grade and the unfortunate thing for Queenslander's is that the majority of this grade of Beef from all over Australia ends up being sold here in Queensland. This Grade of Beef is from the "Grandmothers" of the cattle herd. They have had 6-10 offspring and they are at the end of the life cycle. Plus, they are also undernourished, either because they have put all of the "goodness" into their calves or they are in a drought affected area. Of course no-one sells it to you under the Manufacturing Grade name because they know if they did you would not buy it. So it is generally sold one of two ways: a) It is either pumped with about 20%-25% of a water, salt and marinade solution and sold as "Moist and Tender" or "Guaranteed Tender" Rumps (and it shrinks by 25% when you cook it) OR b) The Manufacturing Grade label is removed and it is sold as Budget Grade. Where is it found at? - Low grade bulk butchers and non conforming private label Supermarkets. Price - Rib Fillet and Porterhouse are about $6.99/kg-$9.99/kg and Rumps are sold at about $4.99/kg-$5.99/kg. What is it good for? - Mince and pet food. The chance that this Beef (un-pumped) is going to be tender is about 1%.

2. Budget Grade - Slightly better than Manufacturing but only slightly. Still from the Grandmother Herd however they are not the skinny/poor Grandmothers they are fat Grandmothers. This Grade is sold by Coles and IGA Supermarket chains as their "base grade". The chance of this Beef being tender is not very high. It is probably the Main Grade of Beef sold in Australia (it certainly is in Queensland).

3. Ox/Bullock - Was a very popular grade during the 1970's and 1980's. This is the Beef from Steers that are 4-6 years old. However, due to farmers and farming practices becoming much more efficient, it is hardly found any more as the steers are fattened much faster and sold by the time they are three years old.

4."Prime" Grade - From three year old female and male cattle. This is the base grade for Woolworths Supermarket Chain.

5. Yearling Beef - This is what I regard as the base grade for Yearling Cattle. It is a very "hit and miss" grade as it is a grade that is defined only by the age of the cattle and not by the quality. Thus, you can buy some very good Yearling Beef from British Bred cattle on lush grass or you can buy a terrible drought affected young Bull from Western Queensland and it is all sold as Yearling Beef (as you can see in the picture). It is the most popular grade in Butcher shops. I also include LOW Grade MSA Beef in this category.

6. 70 Day Grainfed Beef - This is from Beef that has been predominately developed for the Australian Market. It is from Yearling Grassfed cattle (about 12 months old and 300kg) then fed on grain for about 70 days to make sure they are finished. Both Coles and Woolworths use this grade as their main premium grade.

90% of all the Beef Super Butcher sells is from the next four grades.

7. 100 Day Grainfed Beef - This Grade was developed for the Japanese Export market and during the 1990's this meat was hardly found at all in Australia. At about 18 months old the Grassfed cattle reach about 400kg-500kg and they are then fed Grain for about 3-4 months. This increases their weight to about 600kg and brings consistency in the meat so it tastes similar. I have a few favourite brands that I buy from this grade as I prefer the British Bred cattle rather than the Brahman cattle. Like to see more about our Angus Grainfed Programme, click here.

8. High Grade "MSA"- MSA is a grading system that the Meat industry has developed to guarantee eating quality. Having spent close to $200 Million and with over 600,000 taste tests in the last 12 years, the cattle are graded at the Abattoir on approximately 12 different characteristics (Age, Breed, Meat Colour, Fat Colour, Acidity etc/etc). Although the Industry does not differentiate between High Grade and Low Grade MSA, my customers have told me in the past when MSA Beef was not tender. I am now aware of these Brands and I do not buy them anymore. For the record the meat can either be Grainfed or Grassfed and we label it as such. If you would like to see the meat being graded at the abattoir, click here.

9. 150-200 Day Grainfed - When we can get it, we sell it as "Chairman's Choice" (the Rumps that were on special at the weekend). We have just aligned ourselves with the main producer of this Beef and we are looking forward to seeing a lot more of it this coming year. Fed exclusively for the High End Asian market, we hope to receive a continual supply of Rumps, Rib Eye and Porterhouse.

10. Wagyu Beef - Originally from Japan and now bred and raised in Australia, this Beef operates under its own grading system as the Marbling inside the Beef determines the grade. Marble Scores range from MBS 3 through to MBS 12. MBS 3 is the lower grade Wagyu (however it should be noted that practically no other breed can achieve MBS 3 so even low grade Wagyu is very good). In Australia MBS 9 is about as good as you will find.

If you have any questions or would like to know more come along to one of our Beef Appreciation Nights, for $55 (including GST) we take you through everything that relates to Grades of Beef, the different cuts of Beef as well as feeding you a lovely Meal (with Beer and Wine). Click here for the next evening that will be held at Yatala on the 16th March.

• Lamb - Is No Longer Halal.
• Chicken - Is Not Halal.
• Pork - Um? Do I need to answer this one?
• Beef - 95% is not Halal (If you want to buy or you want to avoid Halal Beef please ask one of the Store Managers as the Abattoir is required by law to state whether it has been Halal Slaughtered or not on the end of the carton).

In the emails, I have been asked what the difference is between Halal and NON-Halal slaughter. How is it different??
The main difference is that under "Australian Rules" a traditionally killed animal must be immediately rendered "dead" by a bolt through the brain.
Under a Muslim Kill (Halal Slaughter) - There are three main requirements:

• The animal must face Mecca when it is killed.
• A Muslim slaughterman must pray to Allah over the animal.
• Animal is to be still alive when the primary knife cut is made by the Muslim slaughterman.
• The knife cut is to be made from "Ear to Ear".

Under a traditional Australian kill the animal must be "immediately" rendered as dead by a "Bolt" or "Bullet" that penetrates the brain, before the main Artery is cut in a cut that is made length ways along the throat.

You decide, however I would like to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Also this week you need to know:

• The Discount card has been reduced to $35. This card entitles you to 10% discount from all purchases (excluding specials) right through until the 31st of December. Click here to join.
• The "$1000 worth of FREE Meat" will be drawn on Monday with the winner being announced by email and in next Sunday's Newsletter. If you received this newsletter from us, you are automatically in the draw. If the winner does not claim the prize within seven days we will re-draw it.
• Christmas Club. Join up now and save money this Christmas.

Posted 21/2/2011

Hi,

It's always a dilemma when you are in the food industry. There are the quality items and there are the inferior items and the line is generally drawn somewhere above the middle. As a retailer I have always wanted to stay above the line, offer the best quality you can get and offer it at the cheapest price I can but sometimes that gets confused by not being the cheapest meat you can buy. Oh sure we can get hold of budget quality and say it's something else because there's plenty of that in the market (70% of all Beef sold in Australia is low grade), but I refuse to lower my standards and really, that's not what we are all about. We only try and stock the best, so as I always say, if you ever buy something you are not happy with let us know as we will always replace it.

Over the last couple of weeks the dilemma we have been facing is an issue not so much about quality but more on "Country of Origin".
Just this past week I was offered Chinese produced vegetables in 2.5kg bags....really cheap! They have hit the Australian market in the last six months and there is a good chance you will be consuming them when you go out for dinner or lunch as they have hit the food service industry with a bang. So the question that has been debated in the office is: - Should we be stocking these items? On one hand we have the argument that:

• As a consumer you are going to be eating them when you go out for Dinner so why not eat them when you are at home?
• Money is tight and if you have a "Food Budget" each week, this is a much more cost effective way of buying food.
• If we expect China etc/etc to buy all of our Coal, Iron Ore and Precious Metals isn't it hypocritical to not buy product from them?

However, having grown up on the land, I think we really need to support Australian Farmers and 12 months ago we jumped on our "high horse" and we looked at just stocking 100% Australian and New Zealand items. I had this grand idea that the only items we would sell would be "Home Grown". However the truth is, I had to shelve that idea because it would mean I couldn't sell any volume of Bacon and Smallgoods (I am not sure whether you are aware but about 90% of all Bacon and smallgoods has some imported Pork meat from Canada or Denmark that is cured and cooked in Australia). Plus our Australian Prawn supplier closed its doors. He discussed the fact that he needed $25/kg for peeled prawns and imported prawns were coming into the country at $12/kg (and he agreed that with the price difference consumers personal preference was out weighed by the cost). So the "high horse" had to be unsaddled and sent to the knackery.

So what are we doing with the vegetables? We have decided not to sell them. I know that may have a touch of "double standards" when we sell Ham and Bacon that is made from imported Pork, but I don't have any choice in the matter when it comes to smallgoods any more. The Australian Pork Industry has been decimated and it would be a shame to see that happen with our other food industries if we jump ship and don't make a stand.

Ok, onto a few other points that I need to cover off on quickly.

1. Reindeer - We "sold out" at Eagle Farm and Yatala on the weekend so it isn't going to make it to the other stores on Monday. We have another fresh delivery coming in during the week and I will ensure that all stores will carry "fresh Venison" on their shelves by the end of the week. Hopefully if all goes well we will be able to continue to stock a fresh range all of the time, rather than freezing it.

2. Yatala will be holding its first Beef appreciation evening this Wednesday night. If you have nothing on and would like to come along for an information evening with taste testing a meal and a glass of wine all for just $50 plus GST click here.

3. Our Christmas Club is now up and running. Sign up for one of our four great Christmas Hampers, pay in monthly instalments, save money and have your best Christmas ever. Thanks to our Facebook Friends for coming up with this great suggestion!!!

4. Lamb - You may have seen in the news that the price of Lamb is at record prices. Lamb that was costing $75 each two years ago is now costing us $175!!! One of the reasons is the Australian Sheep herd has fallen from 180 million sheep in the 1980's to just 75 million today. Although we are trying to do everything possible unfortunately it just looks like we are all going to have to get used to the new price adjustment.

5. Make sure your freezer is starting to get empty because a WAVE of Beef is about to hit the market. With a six week Christmas shutdown and four weeks of flood disruption, the NSW and Queensland's "Export Beef Abattoirs" are back in full production and last week they produced the most amount of Beef EVER!! The great news is we are going to see falling Beef prices so get ready for some great deals coming up.

Posted 31/1/2011

Hi

Just briefly before I start, "Sorry" to our Oxenford customers that were affected with the robbery last week (7th in four months). A sledge hammer through the front doors, then through the two internal doors and then the safe does create a bit of a mess and it has taken three days to fix the front doors. At the end of the day they were not able to steal anything but I have to say how SICK and TIRED we are of these robberies. It not only inconveniences our customers, but affects our staff with extra clean up and it is just down right annoying and expensive. With cameras now going in all seven stores and security upgraded, the day is coming that we will surely catch someone!!!!

Now moving on with what I wanted to talk about this week. I have plenty of emails asking what is "Black Angus" and what is "Wagyu"? so I thought I would do an informative email to give everyone a better understanding as to why we go to the trouble of getting specific breeds of cattle and why we stock and age the meat. So let's start.

Modern cattle are divided into two species: Bos Taurus, which originated in Europe and includes most modern breeds of dairy and Beef cattle and Bos Indicus, which originated in India and is characterised by a hump on their shoulders. There are however some significant differences in sub breeds.

Bos Taurus Breeds

British Breeds - Regarded as very soft and lazy cattle, they have thicker skin (sounds a bit like the people??) to deal with colder climates and when fattened carry more fat over the outside of their body.

European Breeds - The Europeans have mastered the art of breeding cattle with lots of meat and very little fat. They have been able to keep the Beef tender due to the cattle again not having to walk great distances to food or water.

Diary Breeds - Bred (obviously) for their milk and as straight bred only suitable for Mince etc/etc.

Asian breeds

• Hanwoo - Only found in South Korea and regarded by the Koreans as being better than Wagyu. Carry all of the same characteristics of Wagyu except they are yellow and slightly meatier.

Bos Indicus Breeds (Tropical Breeds)

Originating from India these cattle are known for the Hump that sits on their back. Thin skinned and tough minded they suit tropical climates and are able to handle the larger paddocks and distance needed to walk to water and grass. They also suit the Queensland climate as they are "tick" resistant. Unlike the British Breeds they do not handle the cold weather of South Australian winters due to their thin skin and less hair.

At the risk of offending some people, I am not a fan of this Beef in Super Butcher because I find the meat a little tougher. The cattle do however suit the North Australian climate and conditions and there are plenty of export markets that are happy to buy it. Brahman Zebu

Brahman

There are other famous breeds that are used areound the world that are not found in any numbers in Australia such as Texas Longhorns, Scotich Highlander,

If you find this information interesting and would like to learn more about the Breeds, Flavours and cooking styles and cuts of Beef that are best suited join us at one of our beef appreciation nights. For $55 per person, you get two and half hours of great information and a delicious meal with Wine. Click here if you would like to know more.

Posted 23/1/2011

Hi

With the break up in the week for Australia Day it is a good time to remind ourselves that we live in a pretty amazing place. We live in a free society, with good weather year round (most of the time). We have some of the most beautiful beaches and some of the most diverse and spectacular scenery in the world. We produce some of the best "produce" as well as some of the best beers and wines in the world and we are spoilt for choice in places to go and things to see. Our kids get well educated and our healthcare system is probably the best in the world. However, I think one of the best things is our people and culture!! Where else would you want to live?

For all of our "Foodie" customers, you maybe aware that Heston Blumenthal is coming to Sanctuary Cove in March. If you have heard of Heston you would definetely be aware that Heston is regarded as being one of the Worlds Top 3 chefs (and probably the most revereed among his peers). Santuary Cove have put a Weekend package together for $3,750 per couple to attend this event and I can assure you it will be truely amazing. I watched a show during December where he prepared a Christmas Themed evening for 6 food friends in England and it was the most amazing food event I have ever,ever watched. (I say "Event", because it wasn't just a meal).
If you are like me, and probably think $3,750 will slightly exceed the week's budget for entertainment. I have some good news, If you are a "Discount Card" holder you are automatically in the draw to win this weekend away. If you are not yet a Discount Card holder, apart from the fact you get 10% discount off everything in store (excluding advertised specials) this is another reason to sign up. ( yes it is a bribe and the winner will be announced at the begining of March.)

In Conversation with Heston Blumenthal - A weekend at Sanctuary Cove. 18-20 March 2011. Package is $3,750 per couple and includes:

2 night's five-star luxury accommodation at Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove 'Evolution of Taste' session A Fat Duck cookbook per couple signed by Heston Blumenthal Cocktail function with guest of honour Heston Blumenthal 3 course dinner hosted by Heston Blumenthal Full buffet breakfast daily Round of Golf

Anyone who is into the tennis as much as I am will be enjoying the Australian Open. The tennis just seems to be getting stronger each year and this year it looks like one of the best. I don't think you can go past Roger in the mens and keep your eye on 2 young girls called Na Li and Ekatarina Makarova as the surprise upsets in the ladies.

The good news is we are starting to get a few deliveries in and we have a sensational selection instore (13 specials this week!!) for Australia Day. We are heading to the neighbours place for the annual BBQ which is always enjoyable and after that I plan on kicking back and watching the tennis.

Have a great week and don't miss out on the Pork Striploins. They are very very good and an unbelievable price.

Posted 10/1/2011

Hi

I hope you are having success with your New Year resolutions!!

In a tried and true Aussie tradition, we generally start most conversations when greeting someone with, "How's this weather??" well it could not be further from the truth that this should be the main topic of conversation at the moment. It was interesting to read that the amount of water that has flooded Queensland actually covers the size of France and Germany combined!!! Obviously if you have seen or heard the news you are fully aware of the human impact, but what has not been touched on yet is the impact to livestock and our food supply.

We have gone into "Buying overload" in the last 2 weeks because I dont believe anyone is aware of the time it is going to take before meat supply comes back on line.

Meat has already becoming scarce because trucks cant travel on the roads to pick up cattle, Rail Lines from Central and Northern Queensland are down and thus abattoirs aren't able to receive cattle for processing thus wholesalers aren't able to buy the meat to sell to butcher shops and supermarkets. My prediction is there is going to be a meat shortage on a massive scale, one the likes we haven't seen since the 1950's when you needed ration coupons. Now I might have this completely wrong, but things are going to get scarcer before they get easier. Last year I was predicting that meat would get cheaper during 2011 with all the rain and the best season Australia had ever seen, the High Aussie $ and weaker demand from our main exporting countries being US, Japan and Korea (and I still think this will happen but most likely April) but who would of predicted this amount of flooding and the damage that has been caused.

Here are a few statistics that I think is going to catch general butcher shops and Supermarkets (and then the public) un-prepared.

1. Queensland produces approx 50% of Australia's beef and nearly all of the processing plants closed on or before the 18th of December. In the 4 weeks leading up to the Christmas Shutdown, most of the Queensland Plants were only running at 50% production. Now with the Floods and cattle not being able to be transported the majority of the Queensland Abattoirs will now not open until late January or Early February. That's about 10 weeks of NO or very low production.

2. NSW and Victorian Abattoirs also suffered from low production during December and although they make up approx 30% of Australia's meat production they have also only been able to run at 50% production and my sources are saying that they have another 3-4 weeks at 50% production. That's 9 weeks at best of 50% production. So on the East Coast of Australia in the 3 largest Beef producing states over a 10 week period beef prodcution will be at best 35%. My opinion is that has to have an effect on supply and I think it already has. I spent most of last week visiting suppliers and in some cases I had more meat in store than they did. Many Wholesalers could not offer certain cuts of meat, like Rib on the Bone and Eye Fillets and items like Rib Fillets are becoming very hard to source. (we have a container coming over from Western Austrlia to help fill the void).

What does all this mean??
I am not suggesting that you rush out and fill your freezers just yet, because one area that benefits us is we age all of our beef for 4-6 weeks so when this is included with the stockpile we have been buying in the last week we will have plenty of good meat until the end of January. We will however struggle to keep the large variety of meat that we normally have on show, for instance we generally like to carry 8-10 different types of Rump on the shelf but over the next 6 weeks I expect we will be limited to say 5.
In regards to price, our view has not changed in that there are always highs and lows and we will not be using this as an excuse to increase our prices.
The main area that we WILL be affected is the specials. We have a few great specials this week, but it is going to be hard to find them over the next 4 weeks, so if you see something you like, get in early!!!!

I know we are 4 weeks late, but the new Sausage Bar is "NOW OPEN" at Yatala, we were delayed in opening until our sausage maker returns from South Africa, but his return is taking a little longer than expected. So if you are a Yatala shopper make sure you have a sample taste when you are next in store. Duane and Kevin are doing a sensational job and would love you to come over and say gidday and have a try. Our Eagle Farm customers know that if you want a Gourmet Sausage made with your choice of ingredients, (while you wait) we will make them for you in front of your eye's!!!. The "Gourmet Hand Made" sausages will be sent to all stores so keep an eye out for them. By the way, these sausages are good enough to be served as the main course!!

Posted 26/12/2010

Well, well, well, what a Christmas.

I hope you enjoyed your day as much as we did yesterday. It was certainly great to kick back and relax yesterday after such a difficult week.

Unfortunately we were broken into at Yatala on Wednesday Night/ Thursday morning between 10pm and 2am. Over the past 8 weeks this is the 5th break-in into 1 of the shops. The difference is this time they did an exceptionally good job. Between cutting thru Cold room walls, finding truck and Fork Lift keys, dodging sensor alarms they removed a 1000kg Safe with the days takings (that was bolted to a floor in a secure room) and then drove a Forklift with the safe on it thru a cold room panneling wall at high speed to get it outside. The damage that this caused was quite extensive, however the most damage caused was in that we did not have access to our coldroom/Forklifts and trucks for about 5 hours on Thursday morning until the forensic team and detectives had finished, this obviously meant that all deliveries to stores were 8 hours late leaving some customers waiting for there orders and certain items not being available on the shelves. ( like Zammit hams!!!).On top of this the majority of our "Order & Loadout staff" were required to go to the PoIice station for about 3 hours to give statements. (AARGHHH all on the Busiest day of the year!!!!!) So I appologise to any customers that turned up expecting their orders (on Thursday and Friday), only to have to come back a 2nd time.
I have to say, I was very impressed with 2 things, 1. was the responce by the Police. I thought I was on a CSI show, they really were "On the Job" and have not left any stone unturned. There is no doubt it is an inside job (I am thinking an ex-employee) and I cant wait to find out out who it was.

2. My Loadout staff. After arriving to work at 2.30am on Thursday morning and dealing with the problems they were not able to start work until about 1pm to get the job done, they effectively worked for the next 36 hours to try and get everything out to the stores and to cusomers. So to Mark, Leaniva, Shane, Peter and Vechet THANK YOU!!!.

The Harley Davidson has been claimed!!!! Congratulaions to John Raymond from Oxenford.

Ok, lets get onto the future.
We are open tomorrow ( Monday) and Tuesday between 8am and 2pm and we need to drum up some business because our Insurance premiums are going to skyrocket this year!!!!

Posted 12/12/2010

Hi

I need to start this week off by apologizing.

A warning label should have been applied to the wine bottles and I am only hoping that you did not suffer the same consequences that I did.

"Sirromet Night Sky Viognier"

• Warning Label - "This wine will make you do Handstands".
• Side effect - For some reason, after consuming two glasses, I participated in a handstand and cartwheel competition with my two young children. Approximately 25 handstands and cartwheels later, the relaxing medicinal effects of wine, Christmas carols and the evening meal quickly leave you.
• Anti dote - Try consuming wine after children have gone to bed.

"Vineyard Selection Sparkling Pinot & Chardonay."

• Warning Label - For Males - "This wine will make you forget your 11th Wedding Anniversary".
  For Females - "If the male is affected by this wine (above), you may feel angry and disappointed".
• Side effect - These are very, very dangerous side effects and they include "ear-bashing, mental anguish and no hope of physical stimulation".
• Anti Dote - A card and winning lotto ticket at 5pm in the afternoon (after shops were closed) got me out of trouble (however - mental note to self - need to make sure lotto ticket wins on Tuesday night).

So, that was my week. I hope yours was a little better.

This week is busy, so let's get into it.

Overall the "Sirromet Wine Deal of three bottles of Wine and a King Island Cheese" has been a huge hit (one of our biggest specials of the year).
As mentioned last week, our License and special ends on Tuesday at 6pm. As it has turned out, we have had many customers come in and buy this special as a gift for employees and family members, so if you have not been in for this one, according to the feedback, you need to.

In regards to the Australian Lobster Tails, we were overwhelmed with the amount of people coming in to purchase them. We have more arriving in stores from 7am Tuesday, 7am Wednesday and 7am Thursday Mornings, so if you want lobster tails get in early. The new limit is 2kg per person (approximately 18 tails). For the record, they are the Northern Painted Tails which, by all accounts are the best.

We are also bringing over Whole "Western Australia Rock Lobsters". We expect that they will arrive into stores on Wednesday so, in keeping with something a little special for Christmas, we will have "Buy an Eye Fillet" receive a "Western Australia Rock Lobster" for FREE. This special will last through until Christmas Eve and unlike the Tails, I have a heap of the Whole Lobsters (it will work out to be about $60- $80 for a large Eye Fillet and a Lobster).

Lastly the Discount Card - We have continued the Discount Price of $27.50 to email customers due to a number of customers being unable to pay online. This offer ends on Tuesday, so if you want the discount card at the discount rate, order online now or get into the stores before Tuesday evening.
If you are a Discount Card holder, leading up to Christmas we will give you 10% Discount on EVERY item in-store except for the Sirromet Wine deal (if you order online, you will immediately receive a receipt number. Bring that number into the store and you can claim your 10% discount as the card takes approximately seven days to arrive).

As we only have 10 days of shopping to go, I have listed all of our specials between now and Christmas (although I am sure that something else will be offered that I can pass on).

Posted 28/11/2010

Hi

Yes, once again another week zoomed by and I find myself in front of the computer bringing you this weeks newsletter. My wife is back from her night away (I spent my Sunday night in the dog house) and this week is the beginning of the festive season so I will hang controversy up for a while and focus on what's going on in-store.

Before I go ahead, I just have to mention that the rain we have had across the east coast of Australia has created the best "growing season" in the history of Australia. Nearly every person I have spoken to has never seen the the country look as good, from South Australia and Victoria to the top of Cape York and Darwin and everywhere in between. I had a very interesting conversation with a supplier this week. With the continuing rain, farmers have hung on to their cattle to fatten them up, so the quality of meat starting to come on to the market looks fantastic and we will have an enormous amount of good quality meat available from February. So 2011 is going to be delicious!!

10% DISCOUNT CARD - STARTS THIS WEDNESDAY 1st of DECEMBER - Sign on here. Email customers get two additional advantages from the general public.

1. The card costs $25 instead of $40 and
2. You benefit with 13 months usage instead of 12 (the card expires on 31st of December 2011). So you get two Christmas's not one. (General public can't join until 1/1/10).

If you have already signed up, you will receive your card this week. If you intend on shopping on Wednesday morning and the card hasn't hit your mailbox yet just bring in your membership number that was emailed to you as part of your confirmation (just print that out and bring it in with you).
If you would love to join but do not want to pay online, just print out the membership form (click here) and bring it into the store. I just want to remind you that the 10% Discount is on everything in store including in-store discounts, in-store specials, dry goods, frozen, everything except the weekly specials that I advertised in my newsletter.

Email Customers Exclusive "Christmas Gift Baskets".
We have had an overwhelming response to the Gift Baskets (surprisingly the $200 has been the most popular by about 10 times). They offer great value and if you want to take the work out of your Christmas shopping we have done it for you. We arrange and pack it all for you and will have it sitting at your closest store with your name on it ready to pick up. Just a reminder that because of the Sirromet Wine which is included in this Gift Basket they can only be ordered and paid for online (due to Liquor License restrictions). So save up to $100 and order one online.

Gourmet Christmas Items.
There are plenty of people ordering a "Tur-duck-en" (A Turkey stuffed with Duck, stuffed with a whole boneless Chicken) this year, so this weeks video shows Terry putting one together and I then took it home for my wife to cook. If you want something special this Christmas click this link to order one, or any of the other Gourmet Items that we are specially making for you.

Harley Davidson.
The Big Draw is on the 20th of December at midday. The winner will be notified by email and we will announce it in the Newsletter.

Posted 22/11/2010

Hi

Once upon a time, my email each week would contain "What was on my mind" and the newsletter gave me an opportunity to "air" it (once upon a time I used to only have three email customers!). Every now and then the topic would be something controversial and my opinion invariably offended some customers. So, more recently, each Sunday morning as I type away on the computer my wife would be breathing down my neck (and not in the way I would wish) telling me what I am allowed and not allowed to write. Well, the good news is my wife is away today and it just so happens I have a couple of things on my mind (and for the record, it is not my intention to offend anyone, I just like having an opinion!).

Immigration.
Our current population in Australia is approximately 22 million people. Between you and me, I don't care if we bring in another three million, eight million or even 10 million people over the next 10-20 years. I am not opposed to immigration. We have a fantastic country with endless opportunities and Australia has the space and the resources for expansion (if you go to many rural towns today we probably already have the infrastructure to cater for one million people because so many have moved to the coast). However, I feel the most important thing we need to do is bring people in who assimilate and contribute into our communities, people who are prepared to learn English (and speak it), but most of all people who want to be Australians!! I don't want people to move here and expect Australia to change our ways, or our religion and our culture because they find parts of it offensive.

I read a number of very interesting articles recently and one of them said that Australia has the highest % Immigrants than any other country in the world. This is staggering considering our society is one of the most "peaceful" in the world. I reckon our country is only as diverse and peaceful as it is today because of the influx of the '2 Bob Poms', the Italians, the Greeks, the Dutch, Irish and Scottish and other countries I haven't mentioned who immigrated here in the 1950's and 60's, all looking for a better life for their families. In doing so, they have broadened the wealth and diversity and certainly enhanced the offerings we have today. They left behind any previous grievances and became Australian. Then the integration in the 80's with our Asian neighbours brought an even more diverse cultural expression and hard working ethic. The early 90's catch cry was all about multiculturalism and Australia was encouraged to follow the rest of the world, but the articles I am now reading suggest that many countries have made some serious mistakes. I read the misgivings of the German chancellor and the problems of integration they have in their country and they are not alone, with France, Netherlands, Denmark and even England all having serious issues. The two most recent articles I read that really surprised me was that in the city of Bradford (England) 90% of the population do not use English as their first language. No one can convince me that this is not a recipe for disaster both now and in the future. The other interesting article in the Gold Coast Bulletin last weekend was that the most popular boys name in England for 2010 is Mohamed. Very interesting!

My personal view is that 90% of the reason the World has gone to War is for two reasons.
1. Religion and
2. Oil.

I don't have an answer for Oil, but we need to look at the problems affecting peace in a good majority of the Countries today and that is Religion. Australia is a "Christian" based nation and you can either believe in God or you don't. But generally that does not result in war. What does guarantee "qar" and social disharmony is two religions that are "fundamentally" opposed because at some stage people do not believe they are constrained by the laws of the land if they are obeying the law of their "God". In a vey simplistic view - if we want to maintain the current peaceful living environment that we have in Australia we need to look at the mistakes other countries have made because a few of those countries I have mentioned are starting to have some serious problems.

The reason I have raised Immigration today is because this week we have had a situation where a South African employee of ours, who has worked for us over the last 12 months, has been deported with his wife and two year old daughter back to South Africa after failing an English test. This gentleman spent his life savings (AUS $15,000 in immigration fees which is about $100,000 in South African rand) last year to bring his wife and child out to Australia. Unfortunately his employment contract in Toowoomba fell through when he first arrived and it was through our employment 12 months ago that he was able to stay. As part of the application process he was required to take an English test and, with a mild case of dyslexia, recently failed. We hope that over the next three weeks he will be back with us under a new visa because the money he has saved over the past 12 months has now been spent (plus some) to pay for his airfares back to South Africa, as well as the costs to re-apply to come back out here, plus he still has the continual costs of his rent etc/etc while he is out of the country.

Now my personal opinion is, GREAT!! It looks as though we have a very strict immigration system that will not tolerate some basic requirements that I think our "New" Australians should have. On the other hand, the stress that this man and his wife have had to endure over the last 12 months to come to Australia must have been terrible. So we are doing everything we can to help. When it comes to boat people, I am sorry but my view is, we have a front door that is open (that if need be could possibly be opened wider to let more people through). But the back door needs to be closed and locked because if we don't, the flood will keep wanting to come through it.

Posted 8/11/2010

Hi

What a magnificent weekend we have had. I hope you have had the same. I ducked off to my six year old daughters dance concert on Saturday night. It is so wonderful to see all these children up on stage, but the highlight is seeing my little girl entering the stage. I think every parent felt the same way, like the lights only shone upon their child. I know that's one of the wonderful parts of parenting.

As I mentioned last week, some of the Super Butcher "Butchers" are participating in the worthy cause of MOvember, raising money for Beyond Blue and Prostate Cancer. I have to tell you I have never grown a moustache in my life and now I know why. After several days of not shaving, I was trying to figure out what style of moustache I would grow. I sort of liked the handlebar, but I was looking too mean and angry and the kids were running away from me, so at the moment I have opted for a plain caterpillar style. The unfortunate thing with growing facial hair is you really don't know what you get until you start growing it. You see, my moustache is more ginger (and grey??) with a only a dash of brown (I would like to say sugar and spice and all things nice) but my wife thinks the throwback from the Scottish Clan is closer to the surface than we think. Anyway, we are into day seven and the main thing I would like to remind our male customers is:- The most important thing about MOvember is not the Mo, or even raising the money, the most important thing is if you are over 40, you go and have a check up for Prostate Cancer. If it is found early enough it can be beaten (and while you are off getting a check up, I am going to go and read the fine print to MOvember, because I only thought I signed up for growing a Mo. I did not read the part were the wives have signed up to one month of no intimacy because of it)!

We are getting prepared for our best Christmas ever this year. We have Chef Karl preparing the fresh Marinades and Stuffing's and he starts work this