Pioneering ‘Ethical Butcher’ kicks off carbon negative ‘craft beef’ Revolution

The Ethical Butcher will work with the Pasture for Life Association and their certified farmers to help take a number of farmers a year through a specialised Holistic Management course, which will support them in better managing their grasslands in order to offset carbon emissions and work towards the production of carbon negative meat.

UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports have found that the Holistic Management method could sequester substantial amounts of carbon in soils over time; potentially reversing historical soil carbon losses through increased productivity and the rehabilitation of degraded grasslands.* Every new tonne of soil created through the Holistic Management system removes 3.67 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thereby offsetting the effects of climate change and sequestering more greenhouse gases than the animals produce.

Farmers trained in Holistic Management start with a full bio-diversity audit of their land; and to stay certified, its biodiversity has to increase year on year. Only when farms are achieving a set standard of sustainable practices will their meat be sourced for the Ethical Butcher supply chain, meaning purchasing meat from the Ethical Butcher will see consumers actively contribute to improving the biodiversity of the UK’s landscapes.

Farshad hopes that the values and practices sustained and promoted by the Ethical Butcher will satisfy the rapidly increasing demand for ethically produced, sustainably sourced, environmentally conscious meat products; and allay concerns about the environmental impact of meat production so that Britain’s meat industry can regain consumers’ trust and continue to thrive.

Founder and CEO of The Ethical Butcher, Farshad Kazemian, said:

“Having worked in the meat industry for over 15 years in Smithfield Market and beyond, I understand that quality and sustainability are absolutely paramount if the industry is to flourish in the long term.

As a sector we’ve come under significant criticism for being unsustainable and unethical in our processes and practices. This is why I’m kick starting a ‘craft beef’ revolution: to give consumers the high quality meat products they desire, whilst ensuring the production process reflects and respects growing concerns surrounding climate change and sustainable food production.  

I know the meat industry can not only reduce its carbon emissions, but reverse them. The Holistic Management method of farming produces up to 1 inch of new soil per year - a process which would take 500 - 1000 years to occur naturally - and therefore has a decisively positive impact on the planet and the UK’s biodiversity. We’re also protecting farmers’ futures, as the demand for sustainable meat is only going to increase, and unsustainable farming methods will no longer be accepted.

At the Ethical Butcher we’re disrupting the meat market as we know it, giving consumers a unique opportunity to make a positive difference to the planet through their food choices, and their early investment in our vision. The crowdfunding campaign will give us the kick start we need to become the number one supplier of ethical meat, so that our valued and respected industry can play its crucial part in combating the effects of climate change.”

The ethical food and drink industry grew 9.7% in 2017, and between 2016 and 2017 there was a 32% increase in the number of people buying free range meat and eggs, meaning the timing has never been better for such a venture.** Amid growing concerns about global warming and food provenance, consumers are taking greater notice of the impact their diet is having on the environment. It is with increasing urgency that people are looking for genuinely sustainable and regenerative alternatives to current methods of meat production in order to combat the devastating effects of climate change.

Customers who purchase meat from The Ethical Butcher will have their sustainably produced, carbon friendly meat delivered to their doorsteps packaged in biodegradable WoolCool: a compostable form of packaging that is a byproduct of rearing sheep.

Products will also arrive with tasting notes outlining how and where they were grown, with the Ethical Butcher’s limited supply of craft products from select farms and animals reflecting the company’s commitment to taste, quality and sustainability. The animals in the Ethical Butcher’s supply chain are 100% grass fed which also means their meats are better for consumers, as they contain higher levels of vitamins A and E and more Omega 3, less Omega 6 fatty acids, and no hormones or antibiotics.

The Ethical Butcher will be raising its funds via popular online equity crowdfunding platform Crowdcube, and the campaign will begin on 14th November 2018.

In return for a minimum £350,000 raise, The Ethical Butcher will be giving away 19.44% equity in the business. The minimum investment is £10, and a lifetime reward scheme is in place to encourage investments of all sizes.

The funding from the campaign will be used to create a purpose-built premises in central London, where meat can be stored, butchered, aged and packaged. This will reduce the product’s carbon footprint and make it possible for the firm to sustain a next day delivery service on all its online orders.

As the team continue to work with and train farmers around the UK to increase the supply of ethical meat, the product will also be made available to The New Butcher’s wholesale restaurant clients.