Meatco is the clear price leader in both A-Grade and Economic categories, offering the lowest cumulative basket price across all surveyed butcheries in April. In the Economic segment, Klein Windhoek Slagtery ranks second, driven primarily by an exceptionally competitive boerewors price.
A-GRADE CUTS
| Product (p/kg) | Eros Meat Market | Klein Windhoek Slagtery | Ready Bites (Southern Industry) | Elmo’s Butchery (Khomasdal) | Hartlief | Meatco |
| T-Bone Steak | N$ 205.00 | N$ 202.74 | N$ 252.00 | N$ 121.99 | N$ 199.99 | N$ 79.13 |
| Lean Mince | N$ 135.00 | N$ 126.39 | N$ 89.00 | N$ 102.95 | N$ 114.99 | N$ 78.80 |
| Rump Steak | N$ 225.00 | N$ 264.89 | N$ 249.00 | N$ 172.95 | N$ 189.99 | N$ 100.00 |
| Sirloin Steak | N$ 236.00 | N$ 281.64 | N$ 140.00 | N$ 189.95 | N$ 139.99 | N$ 104.00 |
| Oxtail | N$ 225.00 | N$ 184.89 | N$ 182.00 | N$ 142.95 | N$ 159.99 | N$ 90.00 |
| TOTAL (5 items) | N$ 1026.00 | N$ 1060.55 | N$ 912.00 | N$ 730.79 | N$ 804.95 | N$ 451.93 |
A-Grade Findings:
- Meatco has the lowest total basket price at N$ 451.93, which is about 57% cheaper than Klein Windhoek Slagtery (N$ 1,060.55), the most expensive butchery in this category.
- Elmo’s Butcher (Khomasdal) is the second most affordable at N$ 730.79, offering particularly good value on T-Bone (N$ 121.99) and Oxtail (N$ 142.95).
- Ready Bites offers the cheapest Sirloin Steak (N$ 140.00) and Lean Mince (N$ 89.00) among the non-Meatco butcheries, making it competitive for those specific cuts.
- Klein Windhoek Slagtery is the most expensive butchery overall (N$ 1,060.55), with particularly high prices on Sirloin (N$ 281.64) and Rump (N$ 264.89).
- Eros Meat Market sits in the mid-range at N$ 1,026.00, competitive but not the cheapest for any individual A-Grade cut.
ECONOMIC CUTS
| Product (p/kg) | Eros Meat Market | Klein Windhoek Slagtery | Ready Bites (Southern Industry) | Elmo’s Butchery (Khomasdal) | Hartlief | Meatco | Randstraat |
| Liver | N$ 87.00 | N$ 67.89 | N$ 66.00 | N$ 79.95 | N$ 82.99 | N$ 41.50 | N$ 84.00 |
| Beef Stew | N$ 100.00 | N$ 92.89 | N$ 95.00 | N$ 92.95 | N$ 119.99 | N$ 72.50 | N$ 88.00 |
| Ground Beef Mince | N$ 135.00 | N$ 117.89 | N$ 89.00 | N$ 104.95 | N$ 114.99 | N$ 78.80 | N$ 100.00 |
| Homemade Boerewors | N$ 145.00 | N$ 68.00 | N$ 111.00 | N$ 109.95 | N$ 125.99 | N$ 82.25 | N$ 110.00 |
| Brisket | N$ 127.00 | N$ 110.00 | N$ 121.00 | N$ 121.95 | N$ 129.99 | N$ 70.50 | N$ 97.00 |
| TOTAL (5 items) | N$ 594.00 | N$ 456.67 | N$ 482.00 | N$ 509.75 | N$ 573.95 | N$ 345.55 | N$ 479.00 |
Economic Cuts Findings:
- Meatco again dominates with the cheapest total basket at N$ 345.55, approximately 40% less than Hartlief (N$ 573.95), the most expensive in this segment.
- Klein Windhoek Slagtery ranks second (N$ 456.67), strongly driven by its boerewors price of N$ 68.00/kg, by far the cheapest boerewors across all butcheries.
- Ready Bites ranks among the most affordable alternatives after Meatco, offering competitively low prices for ground beef mince (N$ 89.00/kg) and liver (N$ 66.00/kg).
- Randstraat (N$ 479.00) and Elmo’s (N$ 509.75) occupy the middle ground, offering reasonable value but no clear standout cut-level advantages.
- Hartlief is the most expensive Economic butchery (N$ 573.95), with Beef Stew at N$ 119.99/kg being notably the highest price for that cut across all stores.
- Eros Meat Market is the second most expensive in Economic cuts (N$ 594.00 basket total).
Conclusion & Consumer Takeaway
Overall, Meatco emerges as the most cost-effective option for both A-grade and economic cuts, offering the best overall value across the surveyed categories. For more price-sensitive purchases, particularly specific items, consumers may benefit from selectively sourcing products from different butcheries such as Boerewors from Klein Windhoek Slagtery and liver or ground mince from Ready Bites to maximize savings. This mixed-purchasing approach highlights the potential for meaningful cost reductions compared to relying on a single supplier.
