News

Whole Foods launches training program for aspiring butchers

September 18, 2013

Whole Foods Market announced that it is launching an in-store Meat Apprenticeship Program for its team members interested in mastering the age-old profession of butchery.

The intensive 18-month training program is designed to transform aspiring butchers into skilled meat cutters with a deep understanding of the company's standards for quality, animal welfare, food safety, sanitation and commitment to retail excellence, the grocery retailer said in a news release.

Apprentices will learn how to prepare all cuts of meat from all species, master the art of merchandising and receive culinary training on meat preparation and cooking techniques that they can pass along to shoppers.

"For decades, neighborhood butchers were linchpins in American communities — shoppers' trusted guides to selecting the best meat for their families and their budgets," said Theo Weening, global meat coordinator for Whole Foods Market. "With today's meat processing facilities, butchers are being taken out of the equation and people are more disconnected than ever with food. Our shoppers want to know where their meat comes from, how the animal was raised and how to prepare it. No one is better equipped to meet those needs than a classically-trained butcher."

Read more about employee training.