Lean and Supreme, Cobram butcher celebrates a decade

For him, working with meats has been a part of his life ever since he was 15 when he was working at Woolworths.

Upon completing high school he jumped straight into the meat industry as an apprentice butcher at the same premises which now houses Supreme Meats; back then, the store was trading under a different name

Mr Lean moved around Australia plying his trade, including in Sydney and Canberra, before moving back to Cobram and buying the shop.

Ten years on, the business has a roster of seven full-time staff and has a wide range of meat products and condiments on offer.

“We have chicken, beef, lamb, pork. We do dry aged beef now as well,” Mr Lean said.

Mr Lean’s favourite cut is the T-bone.

As well as catering to individual customers, Supreme Meats also supplies local hospitality businesses in the area.

Supreme Meats prides itself on procuring meat as locally as possible, however Mr Lean is adamant the store will not compromise on quality.

“There’s a quality standard that we want to meet,” Mr Lean said.

This was confirmed by local resident Michelle Stephens who told the Courier it’s the mixture of quality produce and great staff which gets her through the door.

Asked why he thinks Supreme Meats has lasted the test of time, Mr Lean said it was because they took the work out of cooking.

“It’s not your traditional butcher shop. Everything has been worked with to provide a convenient way of shopping for people. They can come in, they can buy something and they can put it in the oven and it’s done,” Mr Lean said.

Though Mr Lean has an obvious love for high-quality meats, for him it is the customers and fellow staff that make each day special.

“I definitely want to thank all our customers and our wholesale customers for their support over the last 10 years. Thank you to all our staff,” Mr Lean said.

Mr Lean said it was important for residents to support local businesses such as his because the money made would filter back into the local community.

“We (Supreme Meats) sponsor clubs all over the place, whether it be football, netball soccer or charity groups,” Mr Lean said.

As for those thinking about becoming a butcher, Mr Lean said it was a great career with the chance to make money from day one without the need for an expensive post-secondary school education.

“It’s hard work but very rewarding ... You walk in and start making money on your first day,” Mr Lean said.

“It’s a trade you can take anywhere in the world.”

Mr Lean said the business was always open to new people joining the team.

“We are always looking for apprentices. So any young kids who want to get involved, come in and have a go. If you like it go for it, if not no worries,” Mr Lean said.