Avenel Meats owner Scott Reid was forced to take his phone off the hook when COVID-19 panic set in.
Scott and his wife Neisha could not keep up with demand as locals and people from across Victoria attempted to secure hundreds of kilos of meat.
The phone is now back on the hook but Avenel Meats is only accepting orders from locals who have purchased from them before.
“We simply couldn’t keep up with the demand. We have decided to focus on the locals who have been supporting us for years,” Scott said.
“Our thanks go to everyone who’s supporting us during this tough time. The doors and the phone line will remain open for locals to source fresh, quality produce.”
Avenel Meats has reduced its hours to maintain stock for the increased demand.
The butcher is now open Wednesday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm.
“We’ve ramped up our hygiene procedures and are enforcing social distancing in the building to make sure we and our customers are safe,” Scott said.
“Everyone’s in the same boat and we have to work together to get through this. Support each other and we come out the other side.”