In order to compete, today's independent supermarkets must have a well defined image.  Many stores believe their image is being conveyed to their customers by their everyday operations.  A few store owners are so involved in the everyday running of their business, that they haven't taken the time to develop their image.  Knowing what we stand for is only half of the battle.  The most important thing we need to do is to constantly tell our customers who we are and what they can expect when they shop us. The "Help save the butchers" program helps portray a store image that most independents want to be identified with by their customers, an image of Freshness, Quality and Service.  When a customer shops a store displaying the "Help save the butchers!" logo they will know the meat they purchase is 100% fresh and was cut in store by a real butcher. 
     In today's marketplace, "Superstores" and Wal-Mart are in constant battle for market share.  In this battle these mega stores have tried to fulfill every desire of today's consumer, super competitive prices, endless variety and one stop shopping.  They, "Superstores", have put great emphasis on bakeries, fresh delis and enormous produce departments.  They have also made a conscious decision to change what their customers can expect from their meat departments.   These large stores are changing from selling meat that was fresh cut in store, to selling meat that was centrally cut in a processing plant.   This eliminates the need to employ butchers in store.  Wal-Mart has already made a complete transition, in their superstores, to prepackaged meat.  This was not a change driven by consumer desire.  With the Atkins Diet being so popular and Mad Cow Disease being all over the news, our customers are very concern about the quality and freshness of the meat they purchase.    

Due to these recent conditions in the marketplace, today's consumer wants to feel confident in their meat purchases.  They want the confidence they can only have, when they know their meat is fresh cut by their local butcher.  The goal of "Help save the butchers!" is to give our customers an alternative to the "Superstores" and "Super-marts" of today and the future.  Trends in our industry is towards centralized meat processing.  This trend will deprive customers of 100% fresh cut meat and will also limit their contact to professionals who can answer their questions.  The consumer needs to be aware of the "Superstores" following these trends, they also need to know that their are alternatives, the independent members of "help save the butchers!" association.   Our organization highlights what independent stores do so well, give service and quality in our meat departments.  A retailer who realizes this opportunity has potential for growth and profits that has not been matched in recent history.

SUCCESS GOES TO THOSE WHO FIND OTHERS THAT HAVE SUCCEEDED AND BUILD ON WHAT THEY DID.
"Help save the butchers!' was built on this premise.

• First things first:   Department set-up.
• Pricing Structure:  Tools for obtaining gross profit.
• Control cutting:  What every butcher should already be doing.
• Merchandising:  Techniques to improve gross profits and offer a value to the consumer.
• Variety:  Key to sales and profits.
• Sales formats:  Programs that will help make you unique in your market place.
• Case plan-a-grams:   Case positioning can help improve sales and gross profits.
• Ethnic:  Marketing to a growing segment of our business.

• Cutting test:  Access to cutting test, that allow you to calculate retail pricing necessary to maintain or improve your gross profits.
• Inventory calculator:  Weekly inventory calculator for gross profit and shrink.
• How to:   We realize not all store owners have a background in meat cutting.  We share  step by step cutting expertise with our members.  This information can be used to help your meat cutters, or so you, as the owner, can have a better understanding of building a strong meat department. (coming in the near future)

LET'S FACE IT, THE SUPERSTORES HAVE GIVEN US THEIR MEAT SALES, AND THEY ARE OURS FOR THE TAKING.  
     Is your store ready for the challenge?  Our goal is to help independent stores promote what the customer already realizes, your local butcher always knows best and your local independent store has the best butcher and maybe the only butcher.  Our program has been tested and has a proven track record.  It was developed from experience and a strong background in meat cutting.  This experience ranges in meat departments with volumes of five thousand dollars per week to over a quarter of a million dollars per week.  Members of "Help save the butchers!" will have access to this expertise.

WHY START FROM SCRATCH?  BUILD ON WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE DONE!