With over 127 years in business, Quails Fine Foods in Banbridge know top quality local produce when they see it and this year secured themselves another exceptional animal from the Royal Ulster Premier Beef & Lamb Championships just in time for Christmas.
As festive orders are fulfilled every day, it’s not just turkey that’s been on everyone’s Christmas lists. Thanks to their locally supplied lamb, beef and pork the shop champions traceable high-quality produce and supports the local agricultural industry. As farmers themselves, the Quail Family have always had an appreciation for the full field to fork journey.
Describing their purchase at this year’s Premier Championships Joe Quail recalled, ‘Every year we go to the Beef & Lamb looking for the perfect butcher’s carcass. Mostly we buy Limousins because of their fine bone and great textured beef as Limousins are known for their tenderness, and we were able to purchase a lovely beast that was brought there by Gordon Crockett. She had a 63.5% Kill Out Ratio which is exactly what we need for the butcher’s shop.’
Elaborating on why they attend sales like the 2025 Championships, Joe said, ‘We love really good local produce that we get in Northern Ireland. We’ve got fabulous grass-fed beef and lamb! It’s really important that we support the local economy and we find that the likes of the Limousin is fantastic for our butchers as it yields very well and provides the perfect steak or roast for your weekend […] You’re going to get the best stuff from your local butchers and your local farmer.'
Fourth generation butcher Joe Quail learned the family trade from his father Jim and over the last 25 years, their business has expanded rapidly to meet the needs of their local customers. The original butchers and family farm have diversified to incorporate a full food hall, deli and cafe on one of Banbridge’s busiest streets.
To find out more about the prime beef on offer at Quails Fine Foods this Christmas and to secure yourself some of the finest cattle from the 2025 Royal Ulster Premier Beef & Lamb Championships don’t forget to call into the shop before Christmas.
