Want chicken - head to your local Coffs Harbour butcher shop

Coffs Harbour shoppers are rediscovering their local butcher shop as the big supermarkets have been rattled by massive supply chain disruption. Here’s where you can buy chicken.

Fresh chicken has been as rare as hen’s teeth at the major supermarkets - but there’s plenty to be found at Coffs Harbour’s local butcher shops.

The Covid pandemic has crippled the supply chain for the big retailers - and one of the biggest casualties has been Australia’s favourite meat, chicken.

While the supermarkets have been able to source whole birds, popular cuts like breast and thigh fillets have flown the coop.

The story couldn’t be more different though at Coffs Harbour’s butcher shops - who have a steady supply of poultry and the skills to break them down.

Many of the local businesses have noticed new customers winging it through the doors in pursuit of their favourite cuts of chook.

We caught up with five of the best, including a specialist chicken butcher where surely there had to be poultry less it be compared to John Cleese’s hilarious skit on the cheese shop without cheese.

Bray Street Butchery

“We have full chickens, thighs, breasts, rissoles, schnitzels, kievs, you name it,” owner Greg Goodman said.

Mr Goodman said he sources his poultry from a wholesaler at Casino and a local supplier.

“Covid has been one of the best things for butchers in that people have gone away from the supermarket,” he said.

Toormina Chicken Butchery

“We buy the whole chickens and bone it out ourselves whereas the supermarkets want portion cuts,” owner Nathan Hunt said.

He sources his poultry from Nerang in Queensland, and said many consumers didn’t understand the difference between what the big supermarkets demand, and what can be provided by a specialist butcher store.

West High Street Boutique Butchery

New owner Glenn Bayliss said he had noticed an influx of people who in the past had shopped at one of the majors.

“We’ve had a lot of people coming who normally go to Coles,” Mr Bayliss said.

Sourcing his poultry from North Coast Chickens at Sapphire Beach, his shop has ample supply of the favoured staples like thighs and breasts, while the meat cases at the supermarkets have been mostly a blank canvas in the chook section.

Drovers Meats

“We were struggling a bit for thighs and breasts but we’re back to normal,” said owner Simon Bugden.

He also buys from North Coast Chickens and said he too had noticed a surge of new customers since Omicron hatched a plan to disrupt supermarket supply chains.

“The last two weeks have been pretty full on - I can’t complain,” Mr Bugden said.

“February is normally our quietest month of the year but we’ve been plugging on solidly from Christmas.”

Big Country Meats

“We’ve got a good supply of all meats within these four walls,” said owner Allan Cooke.

He sources his free range chicken from Elgin Valley in Queensland and said demand had been off the hook.

“We’ve been selling 4000 to 4500 schnitzels a week which is big even by our standards,” Mr Cooke said.

“I won’t bag the supermarkets because the people who work there are lovely. I know that because they all shop here.

“It’s the most wonderful thing to introduce new customers to our business.”