The Ethical Butcher is an e-commerce site selling the most ethically sourced meats available with transparency and traceability that is unprecedented in the industry.

The Ethical Butcher was founded when meat trader Farshad Kazemian met photographer/filmmaker Glen Burrows, and the pair realised the demand for change.

It was the perfect combination: Farshad was looking to the future and considering the impact of his business, and Glen had been a vegetarian for 25 years but had re-introduced meat into his diet to improve his health and was well-researched on ethical meat production.

The founders share a goal of educating both consumers and suppliers in a new way of producing food that goes beyond simply being sustainable and is regenerative, farming with nature, rebuilding ecosystems and locking carbon back into the earth.

These methods produce healthier food that tastes better in a way that is kinder to both the animals and the environment.

This message directly and fundamentally challenges the environmental vegan narrative that we need to stop eating meat to save the planet, some of the producers are actually running negative carbon farms, that means they are locking away more CO2 and methane than is emitted which is a real game-changer.

As the idea for The Ethical Butcher started to take shape, the founders discovered that not only is it possible to have a smaller impact through the production of meat but actually to have a positive impact on the environment.

This offers very high levels of welfare to the animals and produces a higher quality and more nutritious product for us; these are the principles the business stands on.

All suppliers across each category of meat, including beef, lamb, poultry and game, must fulfil a strict standard of ethics the team has personally drafted due to a general lack of existing reliable quality assurance in the meat industry.

As far as The Ethical Butcher is concerned, the terms grass-fed, organic and free-range have legal loopholes and can mislead consumers; a new standard is required, and they intend to define that standard.

The Ethical Butcher supports farmers using methods such as organic, silvopasture systems and Holistic (grazing) Management methods.

The farming methods that the Ethical Butcher has extensively researched and is supporting are often considered new or ground-breaking. Still, they primarily just mimic nature and take us back to how the animals lived in harmony with a natural system before agriculture.

As the farmers are at the very heart of the business, The Ethical Butcher provides extensive information on the background and methods of each individual farm and what products they specialise in, bringing transparency to the supply chain and telling each farmer’s unique story through films.

Expert advice on how to cook often overlooked cheap cuts of meat and offal will be highlighted to consumers in the bid to utilise the whole carcass rather than just showcasing the prime cuts.

When rare breed animals are kept in their natural environment there is a different flavour profile of each meat linked to the terroir as with fine wines; The Ethical Butcher wants to introduce the concept of the #CraftMeatRevolution and encouraging consumers to engage with the subtle taste differences proper farming brings to the table.

In time, the website will contain detailed tasting notes of the products on offer.

The Ethical Butcher has the goal of being as ethical as possible in every aspect of the business. All its packaging materials used to transport the meat are recyclable, down to the vacuum packs, which are fully compostable and are the first of its kind to be used in Europe.

The business offers full transparency of all its suppliers with a view to constantly challenging and refining how their business operates for the better.

Looking forward, The Ethical Butcher is committed to growing the business, aiming to convert more farmers into adhering to their standard of ethics.

To do this, they will be providing the necessary education through a bursary, which financially assists farmers in switching to ethical production methods.

PRODUCTS & PRICES (EXAMPLE ONLY):

  • Beef mince for 2 = £4.30
  • 4kg rib of beef = £127.00
  • Whole ribeye = £43.70
  • Whole chicken legs = £4.80
  • Whole chicken oven-ready = £18.50
  • Lamb shoulder – Boned = £46.50
  • Rack of lamb = £22.20

Delivery Times: Delivery is £10 for orders under £85, free after £85. The cut-off is 11 am for next-day delivery.

For more information, visit www.ethicalbutcher.co.uk.

Read more food-related articles in our dedicated section here.