Meat Clerk

About the role

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!

We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Receive deliveries by breaking down pallets and loads; count and inspect cases; verify product condition and temperatures; report discrepancies; and promptly move product to the appropriate refrigerated, frozen, or dry-storage area.
• Stock, face, and replenish packaged beef, pork, seafood, poultry, and other proteins prepared by the meat department in refrigerated and frozen display cases, in accordance with the department plan and customer demand.
• Perform daily date checks on assigned products; rotate inventory using first-in, first-out (FIFO) and date-control procedures; report short-dated items; and remove or escalate expired, damaged, leaking, improperly labeled, or temperature-abused product.
• Pack, tray, wrap, seal, weigh, label, price, and display proteins that have been cut or portioned by an authorized Meat Cutter or received ready for packaging. Inspect packages for proper seals, cleanliness, leakage, and accurate weight, price, and date information.
• Operate approved scales, label printers, and pricing systems to accurately weigh, wrap, label, and price pre-cut or prepackaged product.
• Verify package labels, item descriptions, weights, prices, sell-by dates, and required product information before product is placed for sale.
• Organize packaged products and supplies in coolers, freezers, storage areas, and on the sales floor while maintaining cold-chain controls and proper product separation.
• Maintain case organization, product presentation, signage, promotional displays, and adequate backroom inventory.
• Check and document cooler, freezer, and display-case temperatures as assigned, and immediately escalate any out-of-range condition.
• Clean and sanitize display cases, counters, work surfaces, carts, storage areas, wrapping and labeling equipment, and other assigned department equipment in accordance with company sanitation, chemical-safety, personal protective equipment (PPE), and lockout/tagout procedures.
• Assist customers with product location, package selection, basic preparation questions, and special-order routing; refer cutting and technical product requests to the Meat Cutter or Meat Manager.
• Support inventory counts, shrink control, markdowns, damaged-product reporting, and department supply replenishment.
• Follow company policies, location requirements, food safety procedures, PPE requirements, and safe lifting practices.
• Support other non-cutting functions of the meat department, including clerical work, stocking, sanitation, merchandising, order staging, customer service, and other operational tasks assigned within the Meat Clerk role.

Role Boundaries

The Meat Clerk does not cut meat. This position does not independently cut, trim, debone, grind, cube, tenderize, portion, or fabricate meat, and does not operate band saws, meat grinders, slicers, cubers, tenderizers, or other powered meat-cutting equipment. These duties are performed by a properly trained and authorized Meat Cutter or Meat Manager.

The Meat Clerk may clean assigned department equipment only after it has been shut down, de-energized, and made safe in accordance with company procedures, and only after completing required training. Cleaning equipment does not authorize operating, testing, repairing, or handling exposed blades or cutting components. Any future Meat Cutter duties require appropriate training, authorization, and Human Resources review.

Qualifications and Educational Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Experience in retail grocery, food service, or food distribution preferred; entry-level candidates considered.
• Knowledge of, or willingness to learn and follow, food safety, sanitation, and cold-chain handling practices.
• Ability to accurately weigh, label, and price products using scales and label printers; basic math skills.
• Strong customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, stand for extended periods, work in refrigerated and freezer areas, and repeatedly lift and move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to obtain a food handler card or equivalent certification where required by state or local regulation.
• Flexibility to work a retail schedule, including weekends and holidays.

Preferred Skills

• Prior experience in a grocery meat department or meat packaging environment.
• Food handler or ServSafe certification.
• Experience with scale, label printing, and point-of-sale or pricing systems.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).