HISTORY
A chance meeting in 1968 at an East End amateur boxing gym between Steve Crosby, a Police PT instructor with the Met Police and Terry Johnson, a meat salesman in a white transit van, was the embryo to a lifelong friendship and business relationship.
Terry persuaded Steve to leave the police and become his right-hand man in the business world. Two years later Terry moved to Cornwall and established St Merryn Meats, where within 5 years he would become Cornwall’s second biggest employer, with a workforce of some 5,000 people, serving the country’s leading retailers with Beef and Lamb.
Steve remained in London, trading from his premises, Crosby’s of Smithfield, a wonderful butcher shop across the road from Smithfield market. For the next 37 years he developed a wealth of loyal customers and restauranteurs who particularly appreciated the delicious Cornish beef and lamb,
A compulsory purchase of the site in 2010, created a move some 100 meters to new premises in Smithfield Street. The team re-opened as Smithfield Butchers and retained many of its regulars, this loyal customer base appreciate the ongoing commitment to value, quality and service from our long serving team of butchers. (Meet the team introduces some of our team whose collective service adds up to centuries!)
Over the years the butchers bike has been joined by a van for local deliveries and a national courier company chosen as our nationwide delivery partners for our online sales.
Customers are still able enjoy the same traditional Cornish Beef and Lamb, from our long-term suppliers established all those years ago. Our pork comes from Orchard Farms in Norfolk and our poultry also comes from our supplier in Norfolk too.
Smithfield butchers are keen to offer our customers choice and value, alongside our premium meat we have a carefully chosen selection of European sourced cuts which offer great value to our wholesale customers, or customers wanting to enjoy the cost savings offered of bulk buying, take a look at our wholesale deals.
Whilst Terrys business interests have broadened to Brazil, Uruguay and Australia, Steve and Terry remain the closest of friends, spending as much time together as possible.
Steve’s Dad joined the business in 1990, and continued to work in the shop until he was 90. Steves grandchildren are now Saturday boys in the shop, ensuring the families commitment to the meat trade and its customers continues to the fourth generation.
