What does a Retail Meat Cutter (245R) do?

Retail Meat Cutters cut, trim, and package different varieties of meat, fish, and poultry for supermarkets, grocery stores, specialty stores, and wholesale food shops.

Job Related Skills, Interests and Values

  • Interacting with customers in a professional manner; resolving or re-directing their inquiries or concerns to ensure satisfaction
  • Setting up and safely operating scaling, pricing, lifting, and other power equipment
  • Cutting beef, poultry, lamb, and pork into retail cuts; using equipment to label and package them
  • Observing good sanitation practices and procedures to prevent contamination
  • Acquiring a strong working knowledge of various relevant health and safety acts
  • Correctly using and maintaining hand tools and accessories
  • Inspecting meat/poultry products; receiving and checking shipments against invoices, noting any errors
  • Handling frozen products and maintaining refrigeration controls to prevent spoilage
  • Displaying and maintaining meat products; analyzing sales volumes
  • Maintaining written records, including service orders; ensuring product labels are clear, concise, and meet requirements
  • Completing financial transactions as required

What Preparation and Training Do You Need?

  • Secondary school diploma or equivalent; credits in math, science, and English an asset
  • Completion of 4,000-hour apprenticeship program, including on-the-job and in-school training

What's Your Future as a Retail Meat Cutter (245R)?

  • Primarily employed in retail and food grocery business
  • Indoor, 40-hour week; may be adjacent to refrigerated areas with temperatures between 4-10 degrees Celsius
  • Sharp instruments like knives and saws pose risk of injury
  • Employers include wholesale or retail meat shops, supermarket operations, delicatessens, and self-employment

Wage Rate

Apprentice wage increases with skill and experience. Fully qualified workers earn an average of $18.50-$27.00 per hour. 

Self-Rating

Retail Meat Cutter (245R)

Ask Yourself: Yes No
Do you have excellent customer service skills?
Are you good at using numbers and performing calculations?
Are you able to follow Health & Safety guidelines?
Can you lift 30lbs comfortably? Are you comfortable standing or sitting for long periods of time?
Do you enjoy working with hand tools and larger kitchen equipment?
Do you have strong reading, writing, and communication skills?
Do you have excellent time-management skills? Are you an organized person?


If you checked YES to the majority of these questions, a career as a Retail Meat Cutter (245R) may be for you!

You might want to look at these similar trades as well;

  • Grocery Store Manager
  • Department Manager
  • Baker
  • Chef
  • Meat Buyer
  • Instructor
  • Inspector

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