Kari Underly is a third-generation butcher from the Midwest. Although cutting meat runs in her veins, becoming a butcher was challenging.
Her grandmother and grandfather owned a grocery store butcher shop in Indiana. Later, her dad owned a butcher shop and an ice cream parlor before moving to get a job at the local grocery store.
“I started working at my dad’s butcher shop and then at the local grocery store. My job was to clean up the meat department; it was a pretty low-level job, but I took it and did the best I could,” said Kari Underly, the woman whose work can be seen in meat counters all over the world, to Abasto Media.
For her family background, she quipped that she didn’t have a choice because both of her grandmothers were butchers, and so was her dad.
“My career choice was influenced by my genetics,” she said.
That first job helped her qualify for a tuition reimbursement program and earn her business degree. But having a meat background, it seemed natural to pursue a career in the meat business.
Even though she grew up in a family of butchers, Kari Underly was not wholly welcome in the industry. Still, her business mind drove her to achieve her goals.
Skills to Cut
More than just a skill, becoming a butcher is a testament to confidence and curiosity. For Underly, it began in a cold, dimly lit room, facing a daunting carcass. Yet, a curiosity ignited within her, driving her to explore the intricate process of transforming this raw material into something extraordinary.
Within the last five years, Underly has been part of a group of women who created the Women Meat Industry Network, an industry group for meat professionals. The main goal is to mentor their peers to success because the truth is that there aren’t many women at the table yet. It has changed a bit, but being a butcher is still a male-dominated.
Related Article: The Retail Academy: The Meat Department
Meat Education
When mentoring other women or people interested in the meat industry, Underly said there are different paths to take, such as college, meat and food science programs, agricultural marketing, etc. But if the person is looking more for a job, be ready to start at an entry level position and build your reputation. She encourages people to seek out any management training program.
“Why are more women getting into the meat industry? You can be who you see, so those jobs are out there now, and I think that’s real positive for women in the industry”, said Underly.
Underly’s latest project, Range Meat Academy, is an online school offering certificates for Range Meat Clerks and Cutters. Developed with Range, Inc., the curriculum covers poultry, pork, lamb, and beef, attracting students globally. They are currently translating the content into Spanish.
A Different Cut: Meet Kari Underly
- Principal of Range, Inc.
- James Beard nominated author of “The Art of Beef Cutting”
- +30 years of experience
- Studies: Business Administration at Indiana Wesleyan University
- Latest achievement: Range Meat Academy, Founding Board member of the Women’s Meat Industry Network (WMIN) and board member of Lexicon of Food
- Favorite meat cut: (beef) rib eye cap and (pork) is tri-tip
- Loves: Sushi