Food and specialist retail: Inventory software for butchers
Inventory software for butchers that tracks meat batches and packing materials, showing what hangs in the chiller, what is already set aside for orders and what needs restocking.
Where stock drifts for butchers.
Stock at butchers consists of primals that are broken down into cuts for the counter and for orders. A topside in the chiller becomes roast beef, steaks, braising meat and mince, and which part goes where depends on the orders. Each batch also has an origin and a shelf life that need tracking, and aged beef hangs for weeks. On top of that, packing materials run out: vacuum bags, gourmet trays, labels. Around Christmas it turns out at the last moment that there are too few gourmet trays. A till counts products sold, but does not see which primals hang in the chiller or how many trays are left.
Inventory software for butchers
Example- 1
Register batches on arrival
DoneEvery primal or box that arrives is recorded with supplier, the origin details that belong with the meat, weight and shelf life.
- 2
Reserve and break down
In progressOrders for the coming days are linked to a batch.
- 3
Keep packing materials topped up
NextPacking materials are tracked as stock with a minimum level.
From receipt to use.
Register batches on arrival
Every primal or box that arrives is recorded with supplier, the origin details that belong with the meat, weight and shelf life. Aged beef gets a start date, so you can see how long it has been hanging. If the delivery comes with a digital delivery note, the details are taken from it.
Reserve and break down
Orders for the coming days are linked to a batch. When a primal is broken down, that is booked as processing: the primal disappears and the cuts return as new stock. The butcher sees what is free for the counter and what is already reserved for orders.
Keep packing materials topped up
Packing materials are tracked as stock with a minimum level. Every order with gourmet trays or vacuum packing deducts an expected amount. When stock drops below the minimum, or Christmas orders show there will not be enough, the butcher gets a prompt to reorder.
Alongside your purchasing and suppliers.
Meat is usually bought from a regular wholesaler or abattoir, with a delivery note per delivery. Packing materials come from another supplier. Sales run through the till with a scale. The inventory software connects these sources: batches from purchasing, sales from the till if that link exists, and orders from the order system. If the till cannot be linked, a short count at the end of the day does the job. The butcher is responsible for origin details, which are stored per batch.
Tracking primals or only cuts
Following primals until they are broken down gives the most insight into origin and yield, but means a booking every time one is cut. Counting only the cuts in the display is simpler, but then you do not see what hangs in the chiller. Many butchers track primals and count the display daily.
Packing by item or by box
Tracking packing materials item by item is too much work. Counting by box and estimating use from orders is usually enough. For trays only used around the holidays, knowing in advance how many you need matters more than counting them daily, because a supplier may need weeks to deliver.
Till integration or a daily count
A till integration updates instantly, but only if the till rings up each product rather than one general meat group. A count at the end of the day works with any till but is less precise. Which fits better depends on how the till is set up now.
Which stock we record.
Batches are registered on arrival, cutting counts as processing, orders are tied to a batch and packaging materials have a minimum. Set up like that, we run an ordinary week together and the run up to Christmas, when many gourmet orders come in and trays run short. The till link, reading in digital delivery notes and an alert for dry aged meat that is ready can be switched on once the daily routine is in place.
View pricingSupport and updatesGood to know.
Explore pricing and optionsDo we need to record the batch for every cut?
No. Batches matter on arrival, for order reservations and when primals are broken down. At the counter, staff do not have to pick a batch for every sale. Origin stays traceable without slowing down service.
Can we track aged beef separately?
Yes. Aged beef gets a start date and a planned end date. The software shows how long a piece has been hanging and when it will be ready. You can link aged beef orders to a piece that will be ready in time, and see which pieces need selling soon.
How do we know in advance whether we have enough gourmet trays?
Each gourmet order has an expected tray use. As holiday orders arrive, the software adds up how many are needed and compares that with stock. You see weeks ahead whether to reorder, rather than on the last day.
Can origin details go on the label?
If the scale or label printer can receive data, the batch's origin details can be passed along. Which details must appear on the label is for the butcher to decide based on the rules that apply to their products. The software stores them per batch.
Add-ons for your industry.
What often connects to this.
- Digital job cards for butchersDigital job cards for butchers that show the portion breakdown, cut and packing for each order, so the cutting room makes exactly what the customer ordered.
- Website for butchersA website for butchers that presents meat specialities, house sausages and barbecue packs in a way that shows customers what the butcher does differently from the supermarket.
- Enquiry form for butchersAn order form for butchers that asks for cut, portions and collection date on every order, so whoever is in the cutting room knows exactly what to prepare.
Know what is really there.
Start with a short intake. Then we schedule a call to show the software with your services, team and way of working.
WhatsAppinfo@vorlyo.com Inventory software for butchers: track meat batches with origin and shelf life, reserve stock for orders and restock packing materials in good time.
- Register batches on arrival
- Reserve and break down
- Keep packing materials topped up