waitrose meat counter staff and customer

Source: Waitrose

The retailer is aiming to train a further 200 of its partners to the new higher standard

Waitrose is introducing a new scheme to raise the expertise of staff working on its service counters.

The upmarket retailer has kicked off a pilot to train 10 fishmongers and 10 butchers to a higher level than it has done previously. It is aiming to train a further 200 of its partners to the new higher standard over the next two years.

The new butchery course will include detailed knowledge of a wide range of cuts of meat, cooking techniques and butchery skills. The fishmonger course will include knowledge of a wide variety of species, sustainability and skilled filleting techniques.

The aim of both courses is to better equip staff to provide more personalised service over the counters. This includes more customisation of meat joints for individual customers and an increased focus on traditional butchery skills such as butchers’ knots, which allow flat pieces of meat to be turned into rolled joints using butcher’s twine.

As well fishmongery and butchery, Waitrose is developing further training for charcutiers in selected stores that will be testing a new deli range. There is also a new cheesemonger programme in the pipeline.

Alongside the new training, the retailer is also continuing to add more distinctive products to its counters, such as Wagyu beef and Hebridean salmon. It has now introduced dry aged beef cabinets to 13 stores, while it has refreshed the range on its cheese counters to include more local and regional products.

The push on training and ranging are both part of the new Waitrose & Partners School of Food programme.

“Service counters are the jewel in our crown - they give us a unique opportunity to offer our customers an outstanding level of service - whether they are looking for something special, personalised or with less packaging,” said Waitrose director of food service Simon Burdess. “We want to ensure they stand out even more by developing the skills of our partners to a higher level, as well as ensuring we offer the very best, most distinctive produce on our counters.”