Kjötiðn and the National Team

Jóhann Freyr graduated in the spring of 2020 and is the manager of the Kjötkompaníið shop in the Grandi area. He is also a member of the National Butchery Team, which doesn't have a long history, having been founded in 2018. “There are six of us at a time,” says Jóhann Freyr, “and we have to bone and display products on a meat counter, and we have three hours and fifteen minutes to do it,” he says.

Jóhann Freyr believes the national team's biggest task is to participate in the World Butchers' Challenge, but also to increase the visibility of the profession. “Many people don't know what butchery is,” he says, and believes that the conversation about butchery as a specific trade needs to be increased.

He is proud that Iceland is the only Nordic nation participating in the world championship. The preparation is extensive and the training is rigorous. He believes Iceland's chances of getting on the podium are high and says the team has the ambition to succeed. “I think the main reason for our success is that so many of us work with butchery every day,” he says, believing that in doing so, the national team is essentially practicing every day to display products for consumers. “But there are also just some damn good butchers on this national team,” he says, proud of his teammates.

This and much more in this informative chat, which covers topics such as product development, consumer demands, traceability of meat products, utilisation, education and apprenticeships, and other interesting aspects related to the butchery trade.