About two weeks before Easter, the smokehouse is running at full capacity at Boucherie Les Saules, which has already received more than a hundred orders for its famous artisanal ham that many are snapping up for their traditional Easter meal.
“We prepare about a month in advance. We brine and smoke almost every day, and the smokehouse operates from morning to evening. We don’t really have a choice, the demand is really great,” explains the co-owner of the establishment Paul Hamel.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Overall, he estimates that Easter alone can generate around $25,000 in sales.
“That’s only for Easter Saturday, but we drive like that all week. After Christmas, it’s definitely our biggest week of the year. »
Despite the huge enthusiasm and high figures, this period also represents a significant logistical challenge, as we have to juggle production deadlines and inventory management.
“It’s huge for a neighborhood butcher shop like ours,” says Mr. Hamel. For this week alone, I will sell around 3,500 pounds of ham, and normally, in a week, we sell between 350 and 400 pounds of cold meats. »
“Not pre-chewed ham”
The one who has been involved in butchery activities for 15 years now believes that it is of unrivaled quality in the region, which explains the high demand.
“It’s an artisanal ham made here from A to Z, and that’s why it’s so good. Our pork arrives here, we bone the butt and arrange it. Afterwards, we brine it and smoke it at home.
“It’s not pre-chewed ham like in the grocery store, which is shot and compressed with all kinds of junk,” says Mr. Hamel, who preaches for his parish with a laugh.
He also specifies that at $18.90 per kilogram, the boneless butt that he prepares in an artisanal manner could sell for much more, but that the business prefers to focus on volume, a way of proceeding that has proven itself over the years.
50 ans
Despite changing consumer habits and competition from supermarkets, the establishment, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next June, continues to rely on its artisanal know-how and its proximity to customers.
He also hopes that the best is to come although, according to him, the idea that butchery products are necessarily more expensive still remains firmly anchored in people’s minds today.
“If you compare for equal quality, we are often less expensive. It’s a false perception,” concluded the one who invites people to come and encourage local butchery.
