The Fat Butcher Plans National Expansion
A newly established brand of butcher’s shops in the North East has revealed plans to open 25 of its stores across the UK over the next three years.
The Fat Butcher opened its first shop last month in Shiremoor, North Tyneside, with the promise of offering customers the highest quality produce at prices it says supermarkets cannot compete with.
Now, it is looking to roll out the brand across the country, with 15 new openings planned for the next two years, and a further ten the year after. Locations for the first phase of roll out have already been chosen, and its next store will open in St Helen’s Auckland, County Durham.
The Shiremoor shop has created a number of jobs in the region, with about 100 further positions being created across the country through the expansion.
Scott Andrews, director of operations at The Fat Butcher, said: “There will always be a place for a local butcher’s shop in a community in light of the horsemeat scandal, and the poor quality meat at sky high prices you often get in supermarkets, people want to source their meat from somewhere they know and trust.
“The Fat Butcher is a traditional butcher’s shop with traditional values. Although we have only been open in Shiremoor for a short time, we have been welcomed with open arms.
“We believe we have a great ethos and excellent brand, and plan to roll out what we do across the country over the next three years. This is a very ambitious project for us, but one we are looking forward to getting started with.”
The Fat Butcher opened its first shop with support from law firm Sintons and chartered surveyors and property consultants Sanderson Weatherall.
Tom Wills, Associate at Newcastle based Sintons, said: “The Fat Butcher is a very exciting new brand with expansion plans to match. It has been established by a very dynamic team who aim to make The Fat Butcher into a national name within the next three years.
“Myself and the team at Sintons are very pleased to be able to support them in the first step of their journey, and look forward to working with them throughout their expansion.”
Ben Cox, Associate Partner at Sanderson Weatherall in Newcastle, said: “Smaller businesses, such as The Fat Butcher, are at the heart of their communities and of economic growth, creating jobs for local people.
“The Fat Butcher offers quality meat produce and a great alternative to the main supermarket operators. These are exciting times for a great new brand which we feel has significant scope for growth. We are actively seeking further opportunities.”
