EQUIPMENT

Here are the tools you’ll need to sell charcuterie from your deli counter

A SLICE OF THE ACTION

This is the only bit of specialist kit you’ll need if you want to offer customers cut-to-order charcuterie. It’s almost impossible to slice ham and salami thin enough by hand, so you are faced with two options:

Electric slicer

Sometimes also called gravity slicers, these machines have an electric motor that spins a circular blade. The staff member slides the charcuterie in a slanted carriage from side to side to cut to a set thickness. More expensive versions, including those with automatic settings, are available but this kind of slicer provides better ‘entrylevel’ options for businesses.

Flywheel slicer

These good-looking machines, operated by a hand-cranked wheel, are a more expensive option. But they’re also the real deal when it comes to creating retail theatre and giving customers an experience on the counter. They are also less noisy and many retailers swear by them, when it comes to paper-thin precision slicing.

SCALES

If you’ve already got a deli counter or a cut-to-order cheese offer, then you can use the same scales for charcuterie. Some retailers have them linked to their tills, while others have barcode and label printing integrated.

KNIVES

You will need various sizes for trimming, sampling and prepping cuts before they go onto the slicer.

WAXED PAPER AND FILM

Waxed paper brings a classier touch than the white plastic bags you see at supermarket counters, while having some sturdy film will help protect your wafer-thin slices from getting squashed in the basket.