Published May 2023

Have you ever gotten halfway through a recipe only to realize you were supposed to marinate your steak overnight — for dinner in an hour? Or tried to stuff a chicken breast with little success? Fret no more! Our talented chefs are dedicated to cutting, rolling, stuffing and marinating all of your favourite meats so all you need to do is turn on the grill. When you need something easy but delicious, you’re feeling uninspired or a frozen pizza just isn’t cutting it, we’re here to offer you a selection of gourmet proteins that will please your palate and save you time. 

Since the day we opened our first market at Bankers Hall in 1990, our purpose has always been to provide our customers with an effortless, memorable and enjoyable grocery shopping experience. With decades-long history in pork farming and a passion for customer service, our markets have become a place to not only buy high quality food, but to gain inspiration and in-depth knowledge about the meals that bring you and your families together. If you’re looking for local products, value and convenience, great variety and unparalleled customer service, our meat department is sure to fit the bill. Whether you’re firing up the barbeque this summer for mouthwatering burgers or need some quick-cooking kebabs for a busy weeknight, our butchers are here to make life more delicious. 

The majority of the meat you’ll find in our markets is sourced close to home, and we pride ourselves on working with suppliers who share our values when it comes to taste and quality. The beef we carry is raised across Western Canada and processed here in Alberta. It’s also aged for 2 weeks, leaving each steak, roast and tenderloin with a tender texture before it even hits the grill. Our lamb is also Western Canadian, sourced from Innisfail-based SunGold Meats who offer high quality, grain-finished and certified halal lamb year-round. Looking to add some bison to your menu rotation? Ours comes from Noble, a distributor based out of Calgary who produce hormone and antibiotic-free bison raised in pastures across Canadian grasslands. Prefer poultry? Most of our whole chickens and turkeys come from Lone Pine Colony and Winter’s Turkeys, respectively. Both are humanely raised right here in Alberta, meaning you get a fresh, local product you can feel good about buying. But our meat department wouldn’t be complete without pork from our very own Sunterra Farms. 

Sunterra's vertical integration structure allows us to prioritize two important elements of our pork: quality and affordability. By cutting out the need for a middleman, we’re able to offer our customers premium quality, locally raised Sunterra Farms pork at a fantastic price point. It also means we’re in control of every aspect of production; from the farms where the pigs are raised all the way to the market cooler you shop from. This deep-rooted integration into pork production also allows us to offer unique cuts that can often be tough to find in a standard grocery store.

Pork may be our specialty, but our butchers are experts on each and every one of our offerings. They are not only talented in their craft, but practiced educators as well! Have you ever been confused about the difference between two cuts of beef? Or wondered how to cook your lamb without drying it out? Our butchers are trained experts who are available to answer these questions from open until close. We welcome you to visit our service counter not only to shop your favourite items, but to learn and get inspired by our knowledgeable team members. 

All of our prepared meats are masterfully cut and made in small batches right inside our markets. Even our ground beef, pork and lamb is prepared in-store before being sold by the kilogram or in our grill-ready burger patty and meat loaf varieties. This allows us to ensure everything you take home is freshly prepared and that we’re limiting food waste at every opportunity. When it comes to rubs, sauces and marinades, everything you see is made from scratch. Have something particular in mind? We even take custom requests! That white whale of a recipe you've been eyeing that needs an uncommon cut of meat can finally come to fruition, just give your nearest market a call and talk to one of our butchers. 

Now that you’ve learned the who and the why, let’s get into the what! Depending on your time, comfort level in the kitchen and flavour preferences, our markets have a meat to meet your needs! If you find yourself wanting a quick and easy weeknight dinner for the whole family, our spatchcock chickens are a great choice. Each chicken comes marinated in your choice of flavour so it’s ready to roast in the oven. The spatchcock method means the backbone is removed so the chicken lays flat to cook quicker and more evenly than a regular whole chicken. Serving a few picky eaters? Pick up an assortment of stuffed chicken breasts packed with high quality ingredients like fresh sage, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Sunterra Meats bacon so everyone in the family can get exactly what they like. Meats like our flank steaks, short ribs and fajita mixes come pre-seasoned or marinated and can also make an easy centrepiece to any meal.

For special occasions, larger proteins such as beef Wellington, whole porchetta and stuffed pork loins are a simple way to impress your guests while still saving you time on prep — you can even take all the credit. Feeding a crowd can be pricey, but when you purchase our prepared meats, you’re not just saving time, but money, too! For only a couple dollars more, you can purchase a meat that’s already transformed into a mouthwatering creation; no need for extra ingredients and no opportunity for food waste. We’re dedicated to using the best ingredients available and offering our customers new and innovative products with the changing seasons. 

If you’re someone who enjoys taking trips to the wilderness (or even to the local park for a barbeque), we have many options that are perfect for on the go. Our kebabs are easy to pop in your cooler and cook over a campfire or portable grill. In more of a meat-on-a-bun mood? Our burger packs contain everything you need to make four juicy burgers in one convenient package, and our pulled pork Meal Kit will help you make this barbeque-season favourite with ease. Be sure to keep an eye out for our smokie packs returning this summer, too. For a heartier option, we recommend picking up one of our vacuum sealed tenderloins, pork chops or capicola steaks in a delicious marinade that will stay fresh and continue to develop flavour while you get the fire going.

From holidays to weeknight dinners, we’re proud to offer premium quality meats worthy of your most cherished family gatherings. With so many prepared options to choose from, you can enjoy a meal with unforgettable flavour, even when time is limited. Each perfectly rolled porchetta, colourful kebab and delicately wrapped Wellington is made by a team member who is dedicated to their craft and passionate about making our customers’ lives better. On your next visit to our markets, be sure to stop by our meat department and chat with one of our butchers — we’d love tohelp you discover your new favourite meal.