Meet the Butcher: Philip Parkin

Friday 21st May 2021
Category: Features

Philip Parkin of Parkin Family Butchers, 5 Market Place, Howden, E Yorkshire says “Beltex lamb is all meat, a real treat”.

Philip Parkin sources Beltex cross lambs to sell through the family butchers shop in Howden. Philip Parkin says: “There is nothing to touch Beltex cross lambs for consistent top-quality carcasses that provide what customers require. The lamb chops are very popular from the Beltex cross lambs as also are shoulder joints and leg joints due to the fine bone and high meat yield from the primal cuts.”

Customers do not want fat on lamb and Beltex lamb is excellent at providing high levels of meat and low levels of fat and this has given customers confidence to buy higher volumes of lamb from the shop in comparison to pork and chicken which is unusual as it is against the national trend. A counter full of Beltex lamb chops sell themselves as the amount of eye muscle stands out and with the fine bone this makes the lamb chops very noticeable in the display. The shoulder joints are always popular due to low fat levels and high meat yield meaning this joint can also be used in hot pots and curries.

The amount of lamb sold through the shop has increased due to the consistency of Beltex lamb and customer confidence knowing they can buy top quality lamb from Parkin Family Butchers on a regular basis.

Philip says: “We sell about ten lambs a week which for a shop of this size is a high percentage throughput of lamb. The pandemic means far more people are cooking at home and we have seen an increase in sales throughout 2020/21.”

Mr Parkin says that Beltex lambs have the criteria to meet changing customer trends in the future as the fat tends to be marbled throughout the joints and this ensures the lamb is tender and full of flavour. Although the national trend for general lamb sales is falling, the trend for Beltex lamb sales is increasing customers will often ask “is this lamb similar to what we purchased last week as the lamb was absolutely fabulous”. As a butcher Philip Parkin says with Beltex lamb he knows he can tell a customer the lamb this week will be just as good as last week.

Parkin Butchers has a large following on social media and Philip Parkin is renowned for his videos promoting meat, Philip says that that customers are influenced by social media in their buying choices and a strong social media following has helped increase sales of lamb through the shop.