Advantages of your own butchery

Torsten Laxvik at Rafnaslakt:
– Exceptionell Råvara puts a focus on quality issues and raises their profile in a novel way. This is an approach which we at Rafnaslakt and Norrbete share and have worked actively with for 7-8 years. Our production is about sustainability in each and every step, including socially and in terms of environment, economy, slaughtering and butchering.
Stefan Eriksson at Råvara and Mikael Einarsson at Djuret buy meat from Norrbete.
– Both of them have visited us here in Ramsele. Exceptionell Råvara has meant excellent networking with both chefs and other producers, but I think it is striking that we are so few cattle farmers working with quality. Our goal is to produce meat which has the same nutritional qualities as we had in the 1920s. That’s why we’re looking at old breeds such as mountain cattle.
Thorsten adds that the cooperative now also accepts Stockholmers as members. You can buy in to newly-born calves and heifers and in the end get the butcher’s cut of a fully-grown animal, something which Thorsten has called Kotell, or ”Cowtell” in English.
– Owning your own butchery is a huge advantage for us, and now in our third year it looks like we’ll make a profit.
And our connection to the surrounding community is strong.
– Tomorrow I’m going to slaughter a six-year old Hereford/Angus cow weighing 500 kilos for the chef Magnus Nilsson at Fäviken. She’s been grazing in Magnus’ neighbouring village at Ismundssundet.

Rafna Gård is an economic association in Ramsele in Ångermanland. The association consists of eight owners who took over a natural grazing area by the river Fax. The raising of cattle there is done in accordance with Norrbete’s ecological principles and most of the approximately 70 cattle are from the Black Angus breed.