Behind the Brand – James Whelan Butchers
James Whelan Butchers led by Pat Whelan is a family run business of fifth generation farmers and butchers, renowned for the excellent quality and taste of its products. Both farming and butchery are traditionally male dominated, so it is interesting to chat to some of the women that work behind the scenes to make James Whelan Butchers such a success.
Mary, Sandra, Jackie, and Mandy work in different areas of the business and come from different backgrounds, from family businesses to corporate careers, and from finance and engineering to farming, hospitality and retail. Each were attracted to James Whelan Butchers because of what the business stands for; an unwavering dedication to quality, customer service and local community.
Each contribute in different ways. Mary is Personal Assistant to Pat Whelan, Sandra is Finance and Supply Chain Manager, Jackie manages retail outlets in Cork, Limerick and Tralee and Mandy manages social media and e-commerce.
Unwavering dedication to quality
James Whelan Butchers sells meat from the family farm. From farm to abattoir to shop, everything is fully traceable, and this gives the business full control over quality. “We know the breed of an animal, when it was slaughtered, we even know its family history” says Mary. There is a strong emphasis on product quality, and a belief that it is always worth investing time and effort in it. There is also a desire to give back to the local community by providing products that are nutritious and full of flavour for people to benefit from and enjoy.
This philosophy resonated with Mary, who grew up on a family farm in the Philippines where various crops were cultivated, including rice, bananas, pineapple, and tobacco. “The commitment to serving customers great quality, nutritious produce really speaks to me as a farmer”.
Commitment to customer service
“Customer service really is at the heart of everything” says Jackie who joined James Whelan Butchers just over a year ago, and who has always appreciated the value of personal service, part and parcel of every family business, since her early days working in the family fruit and vegetable shop in Cork.
Sandra has lived in Clonmel all her life. As far back as she can remember, her mam, now 83, always bought meat at James Whelan Butchers. “She would always say she would never pass James Whelan as she knows if she shops there, she’ll have a good dinner!’. When Sandra was 14, she had a part-time job at a newsagent beside James Whelan Butchers. She was selling ice-cream cones while Pat was selling meat in his family shop next door. Little did they know then that they would end up working together years later!
Many customers are regulars, visiting every week. “There’s even a customer in Roscommon that orders online twice a week and tries something different each time” says Mandy.
A great place to work
It’s clear that all appreciate James Whelan Butchers as a great place to work. It’s a place where hierarchy doesn’t matter, and everyone is equally valued. “There’s a real belief in people, that everyone has a valuable contribution to make, and everyone can have a positive impact” says Mandy.
One of the benefits of working at James Whelan Butchers is that you get to taste great products! “They’re always tasting at Clonmel” where recipes are created, tasted, and perfected. There is so much to sample: “I’m always asking myself what I am going to taste next” says Jackie. What’s her favourite? She couldn’t single out one thing, although she recently enjoyed the Chicken Parmigiana, chicken breasts topped with a golden crumb, their own organic tomato sauce, and two cheeses. It makes a delicious family meal.
A chat over coffee
A ‘chat with Pat over coffee’ is a common theme. Pat is great at seeing the best in people, “he sees the potential in you before you see it in yourself”. It was a chat with Pat over coffee that convinced Mandy she could take over management of social media activity and online orders, or Sandra that she could manage the warehouse in addition to her financial management role, or Mary that she should become his Personal Assistant. Jackie didn’t even know she was looking for another job until a chat with Pat over coffee!
All four women have experience of working elsewhere before joining James Whelan Butchers which gives them a sense of perspective and appreciation. Their sense of pride in working there is palpable. All bring skill, talent, energy, and enthusiasm to their work. They find it a rewarding place to work because the values of the business resonate with them personally, and because working there feels like being part of a family. We have a saying: “serve a customer as you would your mother, treat your colleague as you would your sister or brother, take pride in the family”.
Visit www.jameswhelanbutchers.com to find out more.
