The butcher’s journey of Butcher Westy

Last week was special for Butcher Westy: He gave a demonstration at Crouch Butchers in Wadhurst. This shop in a small market town in East Sussex on the south coast of England is where Westy began his butcher’s journey.

Westy: “In February 1997, when I was 15 years old, I started working for Crouch Butchers. I kept the place clean and did the washing up. It wasn’t long before I was allowed to make the mince. Eventually I was ‘unleashed’ and allowed to use the knives myself. At that time the company was run by William Crouch – the father of the current owner Rob Crouch. William, or Bill as he was called by customers and staff, was a genuine, hard-working family man who taught me many important things that I still benefit from today.”

Nearly 30 years later Butcher Westy went back to Crouch Butchers shop. This time it was to give a demonstration and to up-date the shop’s displays with the help of Dutch Spices’ sauces in handy lidded containers. Westy: “At the moment we’re in the transition period between summer meats, such as kebabs and hamburgers, and products that are good for the autumn. As the weather changes customers want the shop’s offering to change as well so they can see and try something different. With this in mind I have produced a series of concepts using three of Dutch Spices’ sauces, such as concepts with the Tikka Masala Sauce, the Hunters Chicken dish and a Peppered Steak Stroganoff.”

Crouch Butchers used social media to find out which products its customer group was interested in. There was considerable interest in the presented oven-ready dishes. Westy: “During the physical demonstrations we talk a lot about the profession and learn from each other. It’s also an ideal time to tell butchers about the advantages of the Dutch Spices products. Many butchers find the gluten-free and lactose-free aspects particularly interesting and appealing.”