Canadian Meat Specialists

What will I be doing?

As a retail meat cutter, you’ll be working behind and in front of the counter at local grocery stores, specialty meat shops and other retail establishments to prepare and produce wholesome and attractive meat cuts that catch the consumer's eye.

Duties vary from one job to another but, in general, retail meat cutters:

Receive, store, prepare and rotate meat products
Maintain storage, preparation and sales areas in accordance with an approved sanitation program
Ensure meat quality
Package, price and attractively display meat items
Prepare and market ready-to-cook and partially/fully prepared meat items
Display meat products properly
Serve customers
Cut orders to meet special needs

What training do I need?

Though a meat cutting certificate will help you move up quickly in your career, you can also get started in the industry just by seeking employment and training in retail establishments.

What kind of salary and working conditions can I expect?

Depending on your level of experience, and your provincial standards, Retail Meat Cutters can typically earn up to $50,000 (est.) per year.

You can expect to work indoors, behind the meat counter in the meat section of the grocery store, and in temperature-controlled conditions including freezer areas.

You’ll be on your feet for most of the work day and routinely lift items weighing up to 25 kilograms. You’ll also work with sharp instruments such as knives and saws in addition to other meat cutting machines to craft quality meat cuts.

What are my career options?

As a Retail Meat Cutter you can move up as far and as fast as you’re willing to work for at most retail establishments. Like working with people? Become a manager or supervisor. Like working with specialty cuts? Get into the world of value-added processing. Like the business of meat and want to work for yourself? Learn the trade and open your own custom meat shop.

Who’s hiring right now?

Link to listings

Related Careers (w/links)

Entrepreneur
Industrial Meat Cutter
Value Added Meat Processor
Plant Manager
Meat Inspector

Jason Grey

Assistant Category Manager, Meat Department

Westfair Foods Ltd.

Jason Grey found out a little training can go a long way. Raised in Calgary, Jason worked part time in the meat department of a supermarket while going to high school and decided to use the trade to support his post secondary Education.

He enrolled in the Meat Cutting Program at SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary and returned to graduate as a Petroleum Engineering Technologist.

“I worked as a meat cutter to support my education; but when I graduated, there was a downturn in the energy sector.”

With oil industry jobs scarce, Jason fell back on his meat cutting training.

“I started out as an assistant meat supervisor in 1999 and soon I was meat manager at the Real Canadian Superstore in South Calgary.”

Westfair Foods moved Jason to their head office in 2005 as assistant category manager for fresh meat in Western Canada. He oversees the buying, retailing and advertising for fresh meat for all 205 of Westfair’s food outlets in the West.

“Training helps you move up the ladder quickly,” he said, “And it helps you move around the industry as well. I’d recommend the industry to anyone. It’s interesting and it’s steady work in a stable industry.