How to become a butchers - retail and wholesale
Official title: Butchers - retail and wholesale
Also called: Retail butcher, Butcher assistant, Butcher apprentice, Butcher - wholesale, Supermarket butcher, Grocery store butcher, Head butcher - retail, Butcher - butcher shop, Butcher - delicatessen, Head butcher - wholesale, Butcher - retail or wholesale, Head butcher - retail or wholesale
Butchers prepare standard and specialty cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments. They are employed in supermarkets, grocery stores, butcher shops and fish stores or may be self-employed. Butchers who are supervisors or heads of departments are included in this unit group. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Cut, trim, bone and otherwise prepare custom and/or standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale at self-serve counters or according to customers' orders
- Prepare meat for special displays and/or delivery
- Shape, lace and tie roasts and other meats, poultry or fish and may wrap or package fresh or frozen or prepared meats
- Manage inventory, keep records of sales and determine amount, product line and freshness of products according to company and customer requirements
- Adhere to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and food safety standards
- Ensure food storage conditions are adequate
- May supervise, direct work or train other butchers, meat cutters or fishmongers
How to become one
Completion of secondary school may be required. Completion of a college or other butchery training program may be required. Several years of on-the-job training in food stores is usually required for retail butchers.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $39,000 a year The middle half earn $34,125 to $44,850.
- About 14,400 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 15,000 are projected by 2033. (+4.2%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: moderate risk of shortage.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a butchers - retail and wholesale?
Completion of secondary school may be required. Completion of a college or other butchery training program may be required. Several years of on-the-job training in food stores is usually required for retail butchers.
How much does a butchers - retail and wholesale earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $39,000 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $34,125 to $44,850.
Is a butchers - retail and wholesale a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2033, from about 14,400 to about 15,000 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a butchers - retail and wholesale?
Usually not. Only 4% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03