What Can I Expect From Butchers in London?

A wholesale market is where produce or goods are sold in great quantities to retailers, who will then resell them onto customers. Meat has been traded in markets for many years. A popular market like Smithfield market in London has been running for over eight hundred years, making it one of the oldest markets around. Over a hundred thousand tonnes of foodstuffs pass through the market yearly. The type of produce you could find there includes meat, cheeses, poultry, savouries and pies. The prices that are negotiated for produce at Smithfield Market can directly influence the price of meat around London. You can almost guarantee than any central London butchers will buy their fresh produce from Smithfield Market itself. carnescelta

Many of the finest restaurants and hotels purchase their meat directly from Smithfield market and the site is well-known for the superiority of the produce available. Even if hotels and restaurants do not buy from directly from Smithfield market it is still likely that they purchase produce from a local butchers who bought their meat there. There are also online options for London butchers, aimed at those who cannot locate a good meat supplier in their area.

The market has of late experienced a seventy million pound renovation and is now considered one of the most contemporary meat markets in Europe. The structure itself is a grand Victorian grade II listed building. The name Smithfield derives from the first recognised account of the market, described as a 'smooth field'. Edward III allowed the site market status in 1327. Any London butcher, caterer or business owner visiting the market will definitely walk away happy with the produce they have purchased. The meat available is of great quality and inevitably the prices will vary. This is because a lot of bartering and haggling for produce will occur; ensuring any butcher, chef or business owner gets the very best deal. And this bargaining alone between buyers and sellers at Smithfield sets the guidelines for meat and poultry prices throughout London in butcher's shops, hotels, and grocery stores.

Markets like this one in London ensure that the seller and the consumer can get the very best quality for the very best price. It also means that if you are a conscientious consumer you can ask where your meat came from. These markets tend to source local produce so you can have peace of mind that your meat has not travelled hundreds of miles. So next time you visit London or indeed a butcher or food establishment it's good to keep in mind where the meat you buy and consume came from. It may just have come from the historically renowned Smithfield market.