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Southeast Butcher Grand Opening
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The grand opening on Saturday saw community members come to celebrate the new business. (Photo courtesy of Southeast Butcher's Block Cooperative)
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A new butcher's shop is looking to make sure the rural southeast areas still have access to meat cutting and packing as it takes up the slack from another operation.

The Southeast Butcher's Block Cooperative recently held the grand opening of its location in Alameda, inviting in the community and offering door prizes.

Trent Dorrance, the secretary on the board of directors, talks about the need for a new shop in the area.

"We really needed the kill space for custom slaughter. There isn't enough kill space in southeast Saskatchewan and so we basically bought out Davis Meats, who was run by Murray Carnduff and expanded his capacity by three times."

Their abattoir and retail shop are the product of four years of work by the cooperative, and taking the reigns from another store means that they have a distinct advantage.

"Murray had a great business and great clientele and we just wanted to expand off that," said Dorrance. "Plus, he's working for us. He's our manager and he does a great job cutting meats. His attention to detail is second to none. So having him on board with us was a great fit for us."

The new shop will serve both producers looking to have individual cattle processed as well as regular customers looking for local meat.

"The main core of the business was, you know, the custom slaughter getting everyone a home to be able to slaughter their animals as needed," said Dorrance. "But we also found a huge need for locally sourced beef and other products as well."

As a cooperative, the business is working with local shareholders to serve the community.

"It works great because you know we have many shareholders. Many of them are farmers and we actually have quite a few who are not farmers as well," said Dorrance. "They're just investors and they want to see a new local business and want to see something local. So it's very good that way."

As the new store establishes itself Dorrance says he wants to see their products in other locations around the southeast.

"We're expanding our business, and you know we're in local grocery stores and gas stations with our products and we want to keep expanding as we go forward."

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