FAQs
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!!
Q: Are you a butcher shop?
A: No, we are not a traditional butcher shop—We are a slaughterhouse and processing facility – no Middlemen involved. While we do offer custom butchering, cutting, and packaging services, our primary focus is on slaughtering, processing, and preparing whole animals for delivery or pick-up. This means that instead of selling individual cuts over a counter like a typical butcher shop, we work directly with customers to provide whole, half, or quarter animals, as well as custom-cut orders. We also handle vacuum-sealing, flash freezing, and packaging to ensure your meat arrives fresh, safe, and ready for your freezer. Essentially, we combine the care and expertise of a butcher with the scale and safety standards of a processing facility, giving our customers high-quality meat straight from the farm.
Q: Do you offer free shipping?
A: We offer free local delivery across most major communities in Toronto, and the entire GTA, including Milton, Mississauga, Scarborough, Brampton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Pickering, and Markham. As well as Central Ontario & Eastern Ontario as far as Ottawa, Kingston and Cornwall in the east. Check our Local Delivery Map to see if your address qualifies.
Orders over $150 qualify for free shipping to select areas. If your order doesn’t qualify, local delivery is still available, with any applicable fees shown at checkout.
Please note: Delivery fees are kept at cost or below to make it as affordable as possible for you to enjoy our delicious meats. We want everyone to experience our products without high shipping costs getting in the way!
Q: Local Farm Pick-Ups
A: Farm pickups are available, and we’d love to welcome you to our farm in Brinston. While we encourage customers to visit, when possible, we understand that it may not always be convenient.
Farm pick-up are available for pre-orders only at the moment (NO IN-Store shopping available at the moment). Once your order is placed, our team will contact you to confirm the pickup date & time.
As we are a working farm, availability can vary. Please book an appointment in advance to ensure we’re on-site and ready to assist you.
Q: Returns & Refunds
A: We are dedicated to providing the highest-quality meat products. Because our meats are perishable and must meet strict food safety standards, we are unable to accept returns or issue refunds once an order has been picked up or delivered. This ensures every customer receives their order in peak condition.
If there is ever an issue with your order—such as damage or an error on our part—please contact us immediately, and we will work quickly to make it right
Q: Is your meat fresh or frozen?
A: We offer both options for our customers. Our meats are flash-frozen for our online orders immediately after cutting and packaging to ensure maximum safety and freshness. Freezing allows us to deliver your order safely, preventing bacterial growth, and it also naturally preserves the meat without any preservatives.
All of our products are vacuum-sealed, locking in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients while keeping the meat stable during delivery. When properly stored, vacuum-sealed meat can last in the freezer for up to one year or more.
For best results, we recommend keeping your meat frozen until one to two days before preparation, then thawing it in the refrigerator on a plate or container. This method ensures clean, mess-free thawing, even if the vacuum seal is punctured during handling.
If you would like fresh meat for items listed on our website for local pickup or delivery. Please CALL (613)483-1000 to speak to us directly.
Q: What will I all get if I order a Whole or Half beef?
A: You get to customize how you want your beef cut by filling out our cut form. Please check our cut form in the “buy a cow” section
Q: Dressed Weight – Why do I get fewer pounds than I pay for when buying a whole or half beef?
A: When you order a whole or half beef from Madina Meats, you are charged based on the dressed weight of the animal, which is the hot hanging weight of the carcass at the time of slaughter.
During the butchering process, some weight is lost as fat, bone, and trim. For example, a BEEF with an average live weight of 1,100 lbs typically yields a 600 lb dressed carcass. From that, you can expect roughly 425 lbs of red meat and trim and about 180 lbs of fat, bone, and processing loss—around 70% of the dressed weight.
To get the most value from your order, consider taking additional items like marrow bones, knuckle bones, heart, tongue, liver, and oxtail. These extras can increase your yield to roughly 80%, at no extra cost.
Because you’re buying by the dressed weight, the price per pound of meat in your freezer is typically 10–40% less than buying all the individual cuts separately, giving you great value for your order.