72 thoughts on “Where do The Butchers “Organic meats” come from?”

1. Again wow… such fundamental flaws in logical thinking and an almost total misunderstanding of industry terminology. Yet all presented as being science! And sure enough, the lemmings come running!

   You’d do well writing for a tabloid but get absolutely killed in a real debate or court of law.

2. I came across the following information that I would like to share with everyone. Take a look at Peter Silverman’s website. Mr. Silverman has received several complaints and offers some advise.

   Thanks Peter!!

   http://petersilvermanhelps.com/

3. Just a moment here,

   I was just looking for a number but felt compelled…

   I see a lot of ‘coupon freaks’ nailing this place on internet research-backed articles and supposed emails that are halfway there and ‘seem’ to be complete but also very miss-informed.

   You should all really be ashamed to go into this much effort to try to burn someone over your personal mistakes in purchasing excessive amounts of vouchers without trying it out to see what’s up. Personally I have purchased from here and had nothing but great quality meats and service.
   I have seen your kind around the store and you are rude, educated yet uneducated in meats and the industry and not to mention just plain cheap.

   All I ask is that you do some proper research, not this mumbo jumbo of post this link and that link and comment the same comment on the same comment that’s redundant. Take some clear steps in thought;

   a) think before you speak, instead of making yourself look bad, especially in the community. A few supporters in the same respect as you doesn’t pan out in a large city like this.

   b) understand what organic means and what free range means, especially how important local is. Know that things change, cost and suppliers products are very much one and the same.

   c) go somewhere else if you have a problem, I just wanted to find a phone number and got annoyed reading your comments.

   So, on (c) I really just had to say something. Petty is as petty does, don’t bang on someone trying to make a living when you know nothing about what they are doing (even after googling it). Oh, and especially off incomplete internet blogs and articles (this does not make you an authority).

   Again, great people and great product… btw it’s a new store now, same owner but new look and great meats!

   One more thing… Kudos to ‘trying’ to be informed.

   Sincerely,

   Get the Facts!

4. Hey Rosie,

   There is no “The Butchers” anymore. It’s a different shop now.

   Trueler

5. Hey, anybody been to the shop lateley? Is it worth going up there to redeem my voucher?

6. You can still contact Silverman helps he is still helping
   http://petersilvermanhelps.com/index.php/contact-us

7. Bernard Madoff, your comment has been re-posted in the main thread about The Butchers here:

   http://trueler.com/2011/04/09/the-butchers-scam-webpiggy-dealfind/#comment-12571

   Thanks!
   Trueler

8. OH MY YOUNG CHILDREN!

   I have been telling you for MONTHS to get out of this.

   I listened to my Son, Marlon on the CBC today crying like a little ladyboybitch. Made me so ashmamed of him.

   Leave him alone, let him get away with this. He needs to make money like his father did!

   The only way our Ponzi-Marlon Madoff scam is if you keep buying more and more and give up. Your money is gone – it has died and disappeared into money heaven.

   Do not cry. Everything will be okay! Marlon, my son, has bought a new store across the street and transferred over all assets to a new corporation!!!

   Amazing!!!

   Oh poor bagholder what will you do when The Butchers closes down?
   Oh stupid bagholder what will you do when there is no money left to refund?
   Oh idiot consumer what will you do when your Credit Card company refuses to refund your money even thought people told you a month ago to get a refund??

   Whatever will you do Butcher Pumpers??

   Marlon is incompetent, but he has broken a legal contract and all without a huff and a legal puff?

   Amazing. Such stupid people on Yonge. They are so Yonge and Naive.

   If I were in your position, oh stupid consumer, I would call my credit card company immediately and tell them goods have not been delivered by the Deal site company and the Butchers.

   Do not deal with such dishonest and dishonourable people again. Marlon looks, sounds, and acts dumb.

   Call your Dealfind company and request a refund, followed by calling your credit card company for a refund.

   If you do not do this, You will lose your money.
   Do not cry then. It will be too late.
   And nobody will care, because you will be just another stupid bagholder.

9. Global TV did a 2min on them. Check it out:

   http://www.globaltoronto.com/video/index.html

   click on “Consumer SOS” then find “Consumer coupon chaos”

   (click scam-artist Marlon Pather’s face).

10. I placed an online order over 3 weeks ago and never got a response or a delivery so…
    After checking The Butchers hours on their website, I went across town last Thursday to redeem my voucher. I arrived at 10:30 to find a sign on the door that said “Closed until 1:00 due to meat shortage”
    I paid for parking and waited. I watched DOZENS of people stroll up to the door, attempt to get in and walk away annoyed. At 12:00 they opened a window to allow some fresh air in. The staff started letting select people (people they knew) in one at a time, locking to door behind them. I approached a staff member and spoke to him the through the window, explaining I had been there for 2 hours and had also waited 3 weeks for my online order which never showed up. He immediately escalated and said I could come in but only to use $60 of my $175 voucher. When asked why he would change the conditions of my voucher, he said “Because I can and if you don’t like it, get a refund” and instructed his staff member to close the window. I’m disgusted with this business ~ get a refund while you can!

11. It looks like they ended up selling significantly more vouchers than they can possibly fulfill. The rumor is that the owner, Marlon needed cash for his new business, the fish store that is opening up later this month.

    I was planning to redeem my voucher and it was a huge mess over there – the cops were called in, everyone was pissed off and angry and I mean everyone in the store. Prices are obviously ridiculously inflated, but with the voucher it didn’t look too bad I guess. Their stock was extremely low, there wasn’t much to choose from – people were grabbing whatever was on the display. I just left the store when I saw what was happening. I’ll be calling in to try and get a refund.

    This is just not worth it!

12. Amazing!

    http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/img25052.jpg/

13. Hi Jessica white,

    I am also very “surprised” that you happened to be at the shop when this incident happened, that would make two of us surprised!

    Again, Wow! What are the odds that you were actually there at the exact same time and ALSO reading ALL the complaints on this site, while you (and probably ONLY you) have been receiving WONDERFUL service! When I say “Only you” for some reason I tend to believe it’s all the same person.

    Just out of curiosity, why are you reading/responding to complaints? Is it because you’re a “loyal customer”? MAYBE! Either way, I want to thank you…….

    Since it looks like you have the time, do you also mind to comment on the following facts and observations from a RATIONAL (not a defensive) perspective?

    1. Does it seem a LITTLE unusual to YOU that the following situations occurred?

    • When we were at the store last week, we were told to place a brisket, etc order via email because the store did not have enough in stock, and that we would get a response with a pick up date (aprox. 10 days).

    Once I got home and placed my order via e-mail, THAT VERY SAME DAY, this is the response I’ve received (from either Marlon or Esther -> Marlon’s email but signed by Esther):

    “Hi, unfortunately email orders for delivery and pick up are booked until June 23rd; therefore we are no longer taking orders until after this date. If you are able to come into the store to select your desired items this can be done at any time. We are open Tuesday to Friday from 1pm to 6pm. If you would still like to place this as an order, please resubmit this order after this date, and an email will be sent to you to confirm when your order will be ready within 10 business days.”

    Really? “The Butchers” are no longer taking orders until June 23rd? Hmm..I was surprised since I was asked to send an email and that is not what I was told when I was at the store THE SAME DAY. I have to wait until sometime in July to get an order? – Great!! What a wonderful service, eh?

    When we visited the shop on a Sunday (when most of the vouchers are not valid) they had significantly more variety/stock than when I went there several days later, where they barely had anything there (regardless of what my/your interpretation of “barely anything” is, consider this question in the context of relativity, meaning the varieties/stock availability during a day like a Sunday vs. weekdays). And if you think that a small number of sausages here and there, 2 chicken burgers, one beef burger, one chicken and 2 steaks and 3 chicken legs is as you say “Only one counter was barely empty and the other two were pretty full” is a good stock supply for a butcher shop at 2pm on a Thursday, then you really have to get something checked. This was less than an hour after they “Restocked”. “** Due to an influx of vouchers we have decided to close the store from 11:30am-1pm weekdays to clean and restock the store.”

    Really? In less than a 1 hour’s time all of their stock was pretty much gone?

    2. Does it seem a LITTLE unusual to YOU that there are so many complaints all over the web in regards to this specific butcher store? Again, regardless of what my/your interpretation of “so many” is, compare the number of complaints for the butchers vs. ALL the other deals that were purchased. Mind you “The Butchers ORGANIC” is a very small shop, and it is extremely unusual for customers to be treated so unfairly as for them to go and spend hours if not days to write about their experiences.

    3. Does it seem a LITTLE unusual to YOU that they are constantly changing rules day by day and, after the vouchers have been purchased: eg. Now there is a $60 limit a day? Where did that come from? None of my vouchers say anything about that. I understand that they sold an extremely large number of vouchers and are now unable to keep up with the demand. I do understand that, this is called GREED. I shouldn’t have to come 8 times to be able to redeem my voucher. That was not the agreement!

    4. Does it seem a LITTLE unusual to YOU that I had to wait for half an hour to speak to someone? (That was my third trip and I did take a half a day off from work since they close after my work hours). I’ve been to many shops (privately held too, never had to wait THAT long, and come out empty handed! telling me go get a refund!) Again, back to my previous point. “I understand that they sold an extremely large number of vouchers and are now unable to keep up with the demand. I do understand that, but this is called GREED.

    5. Does it seem a LITTLE unusual to YOU that so many people are complaining about their service in general – rudeness? I’m sorry am I the first? Please, just good their name, its the talk of the town now (talking about Eglington area)

    AND FINALLY!

    Also, I think it would be wise if you scroll up and read up on some of the comments people are making. Like for example the investigation in to whom and what is the “Acadian Beef Company” their main source of meat. So much for “ORGANIC” eh?

    Do you REALLY not understand why someone might be upset? REALLY?

    One word… “GREED”

14. I think customers have a right to be pissed if they have a $350 voucher and are told “Sorry there is a max limit of $60 per day!”

15. Hi Iggy, suprisingly I was in The Butchers when this incident happened and you were telling everyone that you were going to blog.
    First of all, you werent “kind” in anyway. You were very rude actually. Only one counter was barely empty and the other two were pretty full. Not everyone in the store was rude like you were so yes in someway the staff at The Butchers had a right to be rude back. This is my 5th or 6th time going to the store and the serive is wonderful.Yes ive waited in line, but who hasnt. Its a good deal and its sad that people like you are giving coupon customers a bad name.

    P.s after Iggy left, the cops showed up about his behaviour.

16. Just came from “The Butchers ORGANIC”

    Horrible experience, actually one of the worst I have ever had!

    1. 1:45pm Friday, May 19. Huge line up.
    2. Finally I get into the store after 25 minutes, I see almost no meat. A number of sausages here and there, 2 chicken burgers and one beef. 2 steaks and 3 chicken legs. My first question is: “Is this the whole selection?”
    A woman behind the counter angrily answers “YES” this is all”! We will have some more tomorrow”.
    3. So I kindly explain that this is my third time coming in and that I would like to redeem the voucher today.
    Response by the owner(Marlon – I believe is his name): “Sorry there is a max limit of $60 per day!”. My response: “That will get me what 4 sausages and 5 burgers at these prices?

    Overall, left empty handed. Horrible service, the response was: “Please leave the store, if you don’t like it go and get your refund”!

17. @brian O’reilly

    It’s Jacob not Jerry. Please try to retain your memory to previous posts that are greater than 1. Also please try not to be so naive.

    It is a value assessment. Unless you have a romantic relationship or a true love for this particular butcher and they way he cuts his meat than go ahead pay MSRP (2X). The real question is.. How much loyalty do you give this retailer? Logically how much does anyone give loyalty to a grocer. How far will you go? Meat is pretty much a commodity in this case.

    Fact of the matter is the pricing from this particular ‘organic’ (rolling my eyes..based on research that have been presented) is higher than other retailers. Add to the fact their business practice (rolling my eyes again) is of questionable ethics. What makes them so great for ‘loyal’ customers that will come back again after this 50% sale? Really what value differentiates them from other retailers?

    The very fact there is approx. $1,000,000+ of organic meat sold @ 50% discount would discourage ANY if NOT all previous ‘loyal’ customers. Sure sales happen but would that not be a reasonable expectation for any ‘loyal’ customers to be rewarded the same discount. My argument is the sale is NOW over. Will these ‘loyal’ customers be happy paying the MSRP/regular price now? and Will they continue to do so knowing 20,000+ vouchers owners did not.

    My question to you is how often does meat go on sale for this retailer? When you refer to sales.. yes retailers like clothing have sales but when I see sales on perishables it’s because their is well a shelf life (expiry) and based off different pricing methodology (especially at the retail level). How often did ‘The Butcher’ have sales previously? and @ what percentage??

    FYI.. Chowhound have been deleting comments. Hugely biased and yes I call shill on some comments because it is obvious damage control or some sort of agenda in the interest of hiding huge failings on ‘The Butcher’.

18. There’s a few of you on here who live to attack anyone who doesn’t agree with you. If they are happy with The Butchers, they are called ‘a shill’, or ‘Marlin’, or somebody from Chowhound. Sure, there are plenty of unhappy deal buyers, but some of us are willing to go with the flow, to get a good deal. What kind of nonsense is Jerry talking when he says, “all their past ‘loyal’ customers will not come back based on the fact they have to pay the premium while the rest of new influx customers enjoyed the discount,”? Do you think that stores never have promotions or sales? Plenty of ‘loyal’ customers also bought some of these deals. Get a life.

19. @Jerry

    Hah! You might be the first repeat customer that I have ever heard of that is happy. The reason is this..think of it this way… Assuming you are a loyal customer before, how do you feel you paid a premium of 200% before and here on out after your vouchers are gone. You say “inconvenient..still prefer purchasing from them” from a consumer’s stand point doesn’t make logical sense, AT ALL! What “The Butcher” has done is essentially killed all of their loyal customers. All gone. They weren’t busy before the daily deals and all their past ‘loyal’ customers will not come back based on the fact they have to pay the premium while the rest of new influx customers enjoyed the discount. No one in the right mind will proactively post online and say I will continue to buy from this retailer (or any) knowing this. I call shill sorry.

20. As a customer at the store since Marlon purchased it many years ago, i’ve never seen the store so busy consistently before. Lineups are out the door occasionally, and I must assume that it is very difficult to meet the overwhelming demand. I myself have purchased the Dealfind voucher. Although I had to be patient and break up my order many times to receive it all, after two weeks I had received my order of lamb racks, bacon, sausages and marinated chicken breasts. They were to the same quality that I am accustomed to receiving from the store.

    The coupon system has become frustrating, but supply from the shop has never been completely consistent. It is such a small store, and because they have sold far more coupons than anyone thought they would their supply must be further strained. It is inconvenient, but I still prefer purchasing my meat from them rather than what is available in abundance at the grocer.

21. Hey Gaga, and Everyone,

    The Butchers agreed to early payment plans with daily deal sites (if we can believe to what Marlon said to Tim Kiladze in his interview for The Globe and Mail). So, it could be already a big deposit paid by daily deal sites to The Butchers.

    And very important thing:

    Now they allow to use only a portion of the voucher. But they get the voucher numbers from customers and can be paid for fully redeemed vouchers by daily deal sites!

    What if they close? Deal sites would not have money to refund partially used vouchers…

    Trueler

22. I think they don’t get paid upfront, only when voucher has been redeemed