Online butcher and farm shop meat delivery has grown substantially — farm shops and independent butchers increasingly sell direct to consumers via ecommerce. The category involves chilled and frozen logistics, weight-based pricing, and detailed food labelling requirements. Migrating to Shopify suits the product mix well once food compliance and logistics are properly configured.

Product categories

Fresh and chilled meat: Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, game. Breed, farm, and cut.
Frozen meat: Frozen portions, bulk buys, freezer packs.
Sausages and burgers: Artisan handmade varieties. Pork, beef, lamb, venison, chicken.
Cured meats: Bacon, ham, prosciutto, salami. Traditional and artisan curing methods.
Ready-to-cook: Marinated cuts, stuffed joints, pre-prepared portions.
Offal and specialty cuts: Liver, heart, oxtail, trotters — niche but loyal customer base.
Meat subscription boxes: Weekly or monthly curated selection.
BBQ and grill packs: Seasonal packs for summer barbecue demand.

Food labelling requirements

Pre-packed meat sold online in the UK must comply with UK food labelling law (Retained EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Food Information to Consumers):

Name of food: cut and species clearly stated ("Beef sirloin steak" not just "steak")
Country of origin: mandatory for beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and game — "UK" or specific country
Allergens: sulphur dioxide in cured meats; some sausages may contain gluten (cereal binders), milk (in some pork recipes), eggs (stuffed products)
Net weight: weight at time of packing — note "minimum weight" if applicable
Best before / Use by: "Use by" for fresh products (safety date); "Best before" for frozen
Storage instructions: "Keep refrigerated" or "Keep frozen"

product.metafields.meat.species = "Beef / Pork / Lamb / Chicken / Turkey / Game"
product.metafields.meat.breed = "Hereford / Aberdeen Angus / Dexter"
product.metafields.meat.country_of_origin = "UK"
product.metafields.meat.farm = "Hillside Farm, Yorkshire"    // provenance adds value
product.metafields.meat.assurance_scheme = "Red Tractor / RSPCA Assured / Organic"
product.metafields.meat.cut = "Sirloin / Ribeye / Shoulder / Leg"
product.metafields.meat.state = "Fresh / Chilled / Frozen"
product.metafields.meat.weight_g = "400"                     // per portion
product.metafields.meat.serves = "2"

Country of origin labelling

Country of origin labelling is mandatory for beef, veal, pork, sheep, goat, poultry, farmed fish, and game birds in the UK:

UK-raised animals: "Born, raised and slaughtered in the UK" — the gold standard for UK farms
Single EU country vs multi-country: if born in one country and slaughtered in another, both must be declared
"British" label: can only be used if the animal was born, raised, and slaughtered in Britain
Note assurance scheme membership: Red Tractor, RSPCA Assured, Soil Association Organic, Pasture for Life

Chilled and frozen shipping

Chilled meat: specialist chilled courier (APC Overnight, DPD temperature-controlled) — typically 24-hour delivery from dispatch
Frozen meat: dry ice or gel pack + insulated box; specialist frozen courier or same-day/next-day with adequate insulation
Delivery day selection: use a delivery date picker app; restrict to days with reliable chilled delivery
Minimum order for free shipping: chilled delivery is expensive — free delivery above £50–£75 order value is common
Shopify shipping profile: separate profile for chilled/frozen products with appropriate courier rates

Weight-based pricing

Many online butchers sell by approximate weight (e.g. "approx 400g" per portion):

Fixed weight portions: simplest approach — price per 400g pack, per whole chicken, etc.
Variable weight: "approx 1.5–2.0 kg joint" with price based on mid-weight — charge at dispatch when exact weight known
Price per kg display: show price per kg alongside portion price for transparency
Weight adjustment at dispatch: for variable-weight items, some shops invoice the difference after cutting — requires manual process

Meat subscription boxes

Weekly or bi-weekly subscription: curated selection — popular with consumers who want regular high-quality meat delivery
Customisable boxes: choose from beef, pork, lamb, mixed, or BBQ boxes
Recharge or Shopify subscriptions for recurring billing; pause and skip important for holiday management
Box composition transparency: list what's typically included; note some variation is normal

Post-migration checklist for online butchers

Country of origin: mandatory labelling on all meat products — species and country/countries
Allergens: sulphur dioxide in cured meats; gluten in sausages (if applicable)
Storage and use-by: stated on all products; chilled vs frozen distinction clear
Assurance schemes: Red Tractor / RSPCA Assured / Organic logo use — licensed if required
Chilled shipping: specialist courier configured; delivery date picker enabled
Weight display: price per kg shown alongside pack price
Subscription: weekly meat box recurring billing app configured

Migrating an online butcher or meat store from WooCommerce to Shopify (2026)