Queensland butchery group enters liquidation

Long-running Queensland butchery business Jack Purcell Meats has entered liquidation, bringing formal insolvency proceedings to a company connected to one of Brisbane’s best-known family-operated meat retailing businesses.

Snag Pty Ltd ATF the Snag Investment Trust operating as Jack Purcell Meats was wound up on 30 April 2026, with Alan Walker of Asset Restructuring Group appointed liquidator to oversee the company’s affairs. The appointment follows the apparent cessation of trading operations at the group’s remaining Brisbane location and marks the latest example of pressure facing independent food retailers amid rising operating costs and subdued consumer spending.

Jack Purcell Meats is a Queensland butcher with roots dating back to 1943. The business was founded by former Australian Army butcher Jack Purcell following his return from World War II and expanded over subsequent decades into a multi-store retail operation across Brisbane. At its peak, the group operated as many as 23 outlets before gradually consolidating into a smaller network focused on northern Brisbane. In later years, the business operated from a site on Pritchard Road in Brisbane’s north, selling meat products alongside fruit, vegetables, and grocery items.

The Purcell family remained closely associated with the business through multiple generations. Jack Purcell’s son Paul took over part of the operation in 1980, while grandson Adam Purcell acquired the smallgoods division in 2004 before assuming broader control of the business in 2015. The group’s branding continued to emphasise its long operating history and family ownership as part of its market identity.

Walker is expected to investigate the company’s financial affairs, realise available assets, and assess potential recoveries for creditors. Public filings show the appointment arose following a court-ordered winding up brought by AGL Sales. They also show a previous 2016 liquidation of an entity called Meating (QLD) Pty Ltd trading as Formerly Jack Purcell Meats Pty Ltd, so it appears this may not be the first insolvency process affecting the company.