The Butchers Advocate, 16 July 2021
At the gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, lies the pristine suburb of Seaford. This coastline town is home to David and Samantha Dicicco, owners of Seaford Gourmet meats.
Seaford Gourmet Meats is a popular family-run gourmet butcher that provides locally sourced and high-quality produce.
David and Samantha have serviced the local community for over 20 years with their products but have been in the meat industry for much longer.
“David entered a butchering apprenticeship straight from high school, 38 years ago! He is very passionate and dedicated to the trade.”
David previously worked at the butcher shop under a different name, before he and Samantha bought the business, which has helped him build a loyal and personal customer base.
“We have been a big part of the local community for over two decades. Lots of our customers are like friends to us.”
David and Samantha employ local staff and try to always stock local produce such as free-range eggs and honey. They believe this helps to stimulate the local economy and give businesses that are starting out a platform to access more customers and generate more business.
The family business has grown significantly over the years to include five apprentices who are now fully qualified and have continued to stay on to work for David and Samantha.
“We pride ourselves on having kept our staff for the long-term, even our three daughters have worked for us at some stage over the years before they pursued their own careers!”
Seaford Gourmet Meats underwent an entire new look and shop fit in 2017, to help keep up with customers wants and consumer trends. As well as updating the shop’s appearance and layout, David and Samantha updated their product range and offerings, helping to cater to a wider range of shoppers.
“Our customer base is unique and wide ranging. We have a strong local base as well as lots of customers that drive in from the country once a month to stock their freezers. We also live in a seasonal town that attracts tourists in the summer months.”
David and Samantha’s ability to be flexible and adapt to change helped to keep business busy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We pivoted and offered our customers home deliveries and a ‘shop to boot’ delivery service, both were very popular.”
Seaford Gourmet Meats has received numerous awards over the years, reflecting the quality of the products they offer. They recently were publicly voted the Best Butcher of the South, in Delicious Magazine and NewsCorp’s Best Butcher as voted by readers, hosted by chef Matt Preston. This is a tangible reflection of the hard work they place into their business, products, and the local community.
“The most important thing in our business is the customers. We take time to chat to them and believe it is important to show we appreciate their loyalty and business. Our motto has always been ‘where price, quality and service really matter’.”
The business is and always has been active in the community and the wider industry, sponsoring a range of local sporting clubs and charities. David is currently the deputy chair on AMIC’s SA Retail Council.
For over 10 years, David and Samantha have been turning their shop pink every October to raise funds and awareness for the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) after Samantha was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.
In 2015, with the help of Rod Saunders, BCNA and AMIC, they launched The Pink Butcher, an initiative to help raise awareness and money for the disease.
“Over the past 10 years we have raised more than $20,000 and our customers have loved seeing this support from us within our local community. It’s something we feel eternally passionate about.”
David and Samantha’s zealous and love for the industry is evident in all they do.
When asked what advice they have someone considering working in the industry they said:
“Do it. It is a great industry for job security and the pathways into other positions and sectors of the meat industry are endless!”
Visit their Facebook: www.facebook.com/seafordgourmet/
Visit their Instagram: www.instagram.com/seafordgourmetmeats/
