This week, meat managers from Broulim’s and Associated Food Stores (AFS), alongside students from the BYU-Idaho Meat Lab, took part in an insightful “Explore Beef” retail training session. The event, designed to enhance skills in beef processing and merchandising, was led by Dr. Phil Bass from the University of Idaho College of Agricultural & Life Sciences.
The training provided participants with hands-on experience and advanced knowledge in beef processing, ensuring they can offer high-quality products to their customers. This initiative reflects the commitment of Broulim’s and Associated Food Stores to continual professional development and excellence in meat retailing.
“The ‘Explore Beef’ retail training was fantastic,” said Jordan Peterson, lead meat sales specialist at AFS. “While few grocers will be breaking beef carcasses in their stores, the knowledge gained by going through the process is enormous. Understanding the whole process helps retailer cutters do their part of it better. It gives a deeper understanding of why things need to be handled, cut and prepared in certain ways. Opportunities for additional education and training like this are critical to investing in employees to keep them energetic and engaged in our industry.”
The “Explore Beef” training is part of a broader program available to retailers and beef merchandisers across Idaho, aimed at elevating industry standards and consumer satisfaction.