EXPERIENCE from the grassroots farming level right through to the customer's plate gives Bassendean Gourmet Meats an edge many others in the business do not have.
While knowledge and customer service are key to any retail business, one of the main things that sets Bassendean Gourmet Meats apart from other butcher shops and the big retailers is owner Paddy Sim's background.
Growing up on a farm, training in a large regional butchery, moving to one of the biggest rural processors and having experience in some of Europe's most sizeable boning rooms has given Mr Sims an enormous wealth of knowledge and experience.
"I grew up on a farm near Northam," Mr Sims said.
"When I was 17 I did my apprenticeship with Roediger Brothers in Northam, that was 42 years ago.
"Once I finished I moved to Perth and worked at Coles for six months.
"I realised that it wasn't for me, I didn't like that sort of butchering.
"So I moved down south and worked at Dardanup Butchering Company (DBC), where I worked for just over a year and a half, before leaving for Europe for nine years."
This first stint at DBC, set up what has become a long affiliation with the company for Mr Sims.
While living in England and Europe Mr Sims remained in the meat trade and worked in boning rooms in Germany, Holland and England, prior to returning to Australia in 1998 and once again working for DBC in Bunbury.
It was only four years ago the opportunity arose for Mr Sims and his wife Nuccia to run their own butcher shop in the Hawaiian's Bassendean shopping complex, taking over from a previous Halal Butcher shop.
Thus was born Bassendean Gourmet Meats.
The Sims source their meat from DBC, having forged a strong relationship with the company and knowing they share the same commitment to quality produce.
"We stock only locally produced grassfed beef supplied from DBC," Mr Sims said.
"DBC sources all our beef from the South West, including farms in Dunsborough and Boyup Brook.
"It is solely grassfed, raised and finished on pastures.
"The breeds are mainly Angus and Angus cross, as well as Angus-Murray Grey cross."
Having this link to the local market and knowing where the beef and all their stock comes from is the key to customer satisfaction according to Mr Sims.
"The biggest trend I have noticed in more recent times is people want to know the provenance of their meat," he said.
"They want to know where the meat is from and if it is grassfed.
"They like the meat to be freshly boned, rather than packed or cryovaced."
He said customers really appreciated being able to have a chat and learn where their meat is coming from and what is in our products.
"We are here for the customer and supply what they want," Mr Sims said.
"Butchers are stronger in this regard than the big retail chains, we know our product and our clients and through our customer service we can answer their questions and supply what they want."
He said to the consumer a grassfed animal is more likely to be free range and people are definitely more concerned about the animal welfare side of things.
"People have changed," Mrs Sims said.
"They want a connection with the produce, they want to know it is healthy and treated well, making it a better product."
This trend became even more pronounced with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on supply of many consumables.
The continuity of supply of local, fresh meats and other produce was highlighted.
But Mr Sims said beef has always been a staple on the dinner plates of Australian families and would always be.
"Beef is my main seller," he said.
"Followed by chicken, to be honest, in my opinion, you will never get beef off the menu."
Mr Sim's personal favourite cut is a beautifully marbled Scotch Fillet and he said the consistency of the meat he receives from DBC meant he has never had an issue with the supply of top quality beef.
"I request the beef to be about 230 kilograms dressed weight," Mr Sims said.
"We go through about three bodies a week.
He said the beef sales increased in summer with an uptick in the amount of steaks, schnitzels, sausages and a lot of different marinated lines people purchased.
If he requires excess meat above his regular order then he sources boned DBC meat that he then ages himself, hanging it for three to four days.
Another major trend he has noticed in more recent times is home meat smoking.
"The biggest movement you will see out there now is smoking meats," Mr Sims said.
"They smoke briskets and tomahawk steaks and people are making their own burgers.
"They also like the butcher made sausages."
He said the Coles in their shopping complex had electrical issues last year, which meant it lost its meat, so there was a surge in people buying from his shop.
"We have had people who have continued to buy sausages from us since then," Mr Sims said.
"They just love our sausages and couldn't go back to buying Coles ones.
"We use all natural skins, which makes a huge difference, and ours don't have fillers, they are all meat."
A big point of difference for Bassendean Gourmet Meats is that it is a completely gluten free butcher shop and has been for two and a half years.
"My daughter has Coeliac Disease and my daughter-in-law is gluten intolerant," Mr Sims said.
"For us it made sense to go completely gluten free to ensure no cross contamination in our products."
Since becoming fluten free they have also grown their client base from locals to much further afield, from the south in Busselton to the north in Geraldton and everywhere in between.
"Prior to COVID-19 restrictions we closed our butcher shop for three weeks," Mr Sims said.
"We did this because I was immunocompromised, undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer, and it was best I not be exposed to stay safe.
"During this time we used our small refrigerated van to do deliveries to clients."
These deliveries were advertised via posts on Facebook and the demand kept growing.
The switch to Gluten Free really boosted their profile and 99 per cent of their deliveries are for clients who specifically want the Gluten Free meat.
"We have really gone from strength to strength in this regard," Mr Sims said.
"We deliver to Busselton once a month.
"Every Friday we deliver south as far as Mandurah and Wednesdays as far north as Yanchep, while Tuesdays and Thursdays are east to Mundaring and Ellenbrook."
He said they had not lost any of their regular customers since the switch to Gluten Free, but had certainly gained a few.
Bassendean Gourmet Meats also stocks Mount Barker Free Range Chicken and Pork and locally bred lamb, the only thing they have to source from outside of Western Australia is their gluten free flour for making the pastry for their house made pies and sausage rolls and this comes from Canada.