Buy Australian: Prahran market butcher carving a name for herself

The pandemic has prompted meat lovers to become more adventurous with their choices - and a Prahran butcher is helping lead the way.

Ashleigh McBean and her father, Gary McBean, are butchers at Gary’s Quality Meats. Picture: Tony Gough

As a fifth generation butcher, Ashleigh McBean knows her way around the business, but even she didn’t anticipate the pandemic’s surprising impact on her family’s Prahran market butchery.

“Business is booming and even in the thick of lockdown, we’ve never had such a strong winter season” said the 28-year-old, who runs Gary’s Quality Meats with its owner and namesake, her father Gary McBean.

While many small businesses didn’t fare as well, Ms McBean credits the butchery’s success to its central location and the unwavering support of her community.

“It’s a very community-orientated industry. I would know 80 per cent of our customers’ names, what they buy every single week and what new products they’d like to try based on what they’re usually interested in,” said Ms McBean.

“We’re also lucky in the sense of where we’re based, it’s an extremely residential area. Because Prahran market was considered an essential service, we were able to stay open throughout the pandemic.”

Being the first female to follow her family’s footsteps in a male-dominated industry, Ms McBean is aware how daunting the industry can appear to women.

“I wasn’t terribly fazed about entering a largely male industry because it’s all I’ve known. That’s not to say it can’t be intimidating, but I think you just have to bite the bullet and push through,” she said.

In addition to improved meat sales, customers have also become more responsive to trying out new dishes, such as Ashleigh’s very own, limited-edition creation of rum-aged steak infused with Kraken & Dry premix.

“It’s really exciting, people are going crazy over it” said Ms McBean. “it’s a really tender, flavoursome steak and what we do differently is marinate it in the Kraken rum.”

Although much of Ms McBean’s role involves working the shopfront, she’s also active within the industry, sitting on the Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC).

“We get together four times a year and discuss how we’re all going, how to improve the industry and what not, so I do have communication with Greater Victoria and its regional butchers, who for the most part are also doing really well this year,” said Ms McBean.

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