Daily Telegraph - British diners need to tuck in to deer more

[wytonpjs]

We hear a lot from NZ be interested to know amount.

Did it all go for human consumption?
Did it go to pet food?

Dated info but:

Deer Industry New Zealand figures (to year-end September 2017) showed the UK as New Zealand’s fifth largest venison export market accounting for 6.5 per cent (< 800tonnes) of its total venison exports, but that volume has now reduced and the UKhas dropped out of the top five NZ export markets.

https://venisonadvisory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/UK-venison-market-June-2019.pdf

 

[big ears]

“Highland Game is the biggest processor and marketeer of UK venison. To support our business requirements out of season and thereby provide customers with all year round availability, specific to the scale of retail, we operate supply partnerships with best in class suppliers from New Zealand.”

....."specific to the scale of retail"......Makes it sound like we cannot 'supply' the 'demand' from within our shores?

Or it’s easier and cheaper for them to buy in ready processed frozen carcasses than process their own here.

Bearing in mind that the majority will be shot in winter and to produce year round stock they will have to freeze and store it at cost to them.

It will inevitably come down to costs vs profit.

At end of day it is a small market.

 

[nun_hunter]

“Highland Game is the biggest processor and marketeer of UK venison. To support our business requirements out of season and thereby provide customers with all year round availability, specific to the scale of retail, we operate supply partnerships with best in class suppliers from New Zealand.”

....."specific to the scale of retail"......Makes it sound like we cannot 'supply' the 'demand' from within our shores?

Where would we get fresh venison legally and in sufficient quantity throughout the summer and also sufficient quality?

The thread about removing the closed season for male deer in Scotland made it sound like all male deer are emaciated scrawny bags of bones for months after the rut, not to mention stink and taste too strong during the rut!

I doubt NZ suppliers were willing to agree to just supplying venison for a certain couple of months a year, they'd want a regular contract to make it worthwhile.

People aren't used to seasonal veg or meat any more due to international trade. Imagine telling people now that you can't have eggs for a few months as it's too dark for the chickens to lay naturally, of no fresh fruit etc.

The suppliers have to supply the demand otherwise they'll go out of business to someone who does, that's capitalism and we all know how much the SD loves a bit of old school capitalism and a Tory government. Can't have any of that woke nonsense

Unfortunately we can't go back to "simpler times" when life was great, there were only two genders, people ate local fresh seasonal food, the internet didn't exist and people died when they were 50. Although judging by half the "off topic" threads you'd think this is exactly what the majority of users on here want, along with desires to star in their own reality TV version of Dad's Army

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Where would we get fresh venison legally and in sufficient quantity throughout the summer and also sufficient quality?

The thread about removing the closed season for male deer in Scotland made it sound like all male deer are emaciated scrawny bags of bones for months after the rut, not to mention stink and taste too strong during the rut!

I doubt NZ suppliers were willing to agree to just supplying venison for a certain couple of months a year, they'd want a regular contract to make it worthwhile.

People aren't used to seasonal veg or meat any more due to international trade. Imagine telling people now that you can't have eggs for a few months as it's too dark for the chickens to lay naturally, of no fresh fruit etc.

The suppliers have to supply the demand otherwise they'll go out of business to someone who does, that's capitalism and we all know how much the SD loves a bit of old school capitalism and a Tory government. Can't have any of that woke nonsense

Unfortunately we can't go back to "simpler times" when life was great, there were only two genders, people ate local fresh seasonal food, the internet didn't exist and people died when they were 50. Although judging by half the "off topic" threads you'd think this is exactly what the majority of users on here want, along with desires to star in their own reality TV version of Dad's Army

Yes - get all of that, I've worked in the food industry all of my life. The tone seemed to be that we need 'more' people to eat 'more' venison.........whereas we are still importing a considerable amount.

 

[nun_hunter]

Yes - get all of that, I've worked in the food industry all of my life. The tone seemed to be that we need 'more' people to eat 'more' venison.........whereas we are still importing a considerable amount.

I suppose there could be some argument in that. If there was enough domestic demand to make it profitable for deer farms to provide venison during the periods that wild venison can't legally cover then we could have a consistent market throughout the year. We'd need a lot of people eating venison to do that though due to the cost of farming deer (or any animal) Vs the cost of producing venison for almost free at the moment.

 

[VSS]

I suppose there could be some argument in that. If there was enough domestic demand to make it profitable for deer farms to provide venison during the periods that wild venison can't legally cover then we could have a consistent market throughout the year. We'd need a lot of people eating venison to do that though due to the cost of farming deer (or any animal) Vs the cost of producing venison for almost free at the moment.

Careful what you wish for!
Deer farms can supply venison all year round. If the demand for venison increases significantly then that would make deer farming a much more attractive proposition than at present, so more farmers would diversify into deer to satisfy the demand. Buyers would much prefer farmed venison due to consistency of quality and supply, so the carefully nutured market for wild & park venison would collapse (again).

 

[nun_hunter]

Careful what you wish for!
Deer farms can supply venison all year round. If the demand for venison increases significantly then that would make deer farming a much more attractive proposition than at present, so more farmers would diversify into deer to satisfy the demand. Buyers would much prefer farmed venison due to consistency of quality and supply, so the carefully nutured market for wild & park venison would collapse (again).

I'm all for free wild venison to feed me and my family. I don't have a horse (or deer) in the venison trade race.

 

[David Barker]

There is no need to reply on imports its all about profit not supply. Highlandgame export more than they import. We can now cull deer year round and that has been pushed for by the industry not the deer managers. We have a quality product locally sourced. That goes along way with the consumer. Most i have spoken to do not know if they are eating wild deer or farmed or imported. We need to label properly and shut the con of using foreign produce hind behind local processes. Guilty are the ones that con the public and the hapless government officials.

 

[big ears]

Careful what you wish for!
Deer farms can supply venison all year round. If the demand for venison increases significantly then that would make deer farming a much more attractive proposition than at present, so more farmers would diversify into deer to satisfy the demand. Buyers would much prefer farmed venison due to consistency of quality and supply, so the carefully nutured market for wild & park venison would collapse (again).

It’s a point worth considering but there was a push in the 1980’s to farm deer and it didn’t work due to low demand. In the 1980’s people were much more accepting of eating meat yet the market remained small. Today things are very different.

I know you will say I’m negative but I think if we believe there will be a section of the meat fridge at the supermarket market Venison we are a bit deluded. The market is small. Even if we double the sales it will be still small.

If you follow the NHS guidelines of 500g of red meat a week and suggest that 80% of the population eat that (this takes out young children and vegans) the sum come to about 1.4 million tonnes of red meat consumed a year. If we import 3000 tonnes of NZ venison and presume that is roughly half what is needed (big assumption I know but cannot find figure for actual venison consumption in uk) then our market share of the red meat market is less than 0.5%. Even if we double it it won’t be 1%.

We should push sales, we should push “giving up the game”, we all should encourage people to eat Venison BUT let’s not kid ourselves that we will make much impact in the market.

BE

 

[JTO]

Spaghetti Bolognese was mentioned. How does the retail price of minced venison compare to minced beef. I've never seen it in a supermarket, seen crocodile and ostrich joints, though!

 

[VSS]

Spaghetti Bolognese was mentioned. How does the retail price of minced venison compare to minced beef. I've never seen it in a supermarket, seen crocodile and ostrich joints, though!

The best venison mince I sell, at £10.98 / kg, is cheaper than the high-end beef mince, but dearer than the bog standard beef mince. However it is better value than the cheap beef mince as there's no fat in the venison. So 1kg of venison mince will make more (and better) bolognese than 1kg of cheap beef mince, which makes up for the difference in price.

 

[JTO]

The best venison mince I sell, at £10.98 / kg, is cheaper than the high-end beef mince, but dearer than the bog standard beef mince. However it is better value than the cheap beef mince as there's no fat in the venison. So 1kg of venison mince will make more (and better) bolognese than 1kg of cheap beef mince, which makes up for the difference in price.

As I expected! Never see it in supermarkets, though. Do you find it sells quickly?

 

[VSS]

As I expected! Never see it in supermarkets, though. Do you find it sells quickly?

The thing that always sells really quickly is diced venison for stews, casseroles, curries, pies, etc. Much better seller than mince.

 

[David Barker]

The thing that always sells really quickly is diced venison for stews, casseroles, curries, pies, etc. Much better seller than mince.

I find looking at what sells locally is always a good call. I sell lots of pies burgers Lorne sausages (Square) and the good cuts go to restaurants. Sadly of late the former sell better and i have had to put haunches in to burgers and steak pies.

 

[VSS]

I find looking at what sells locally is always a good call. I sell lots of pies burgers Lorne sausages (Square) and the good cuts go to restaurants. Sadly of late the former sell better and i have had to put haunches in to burgers and steak pies.

Burgers are always a sellout.

 

[Rutland lad]

Mince and cubed/diced are my best products. They are so versatile and can be made into so many meals. One of my work colleagues is married to a classically trained French chef. She’s always after venison which he turns into amazing meals.

 

[JTO]

Burgers are always a sellout.

Rather confirms my thoughts!

 

[VSS]

Rather confirms my thoughts!

Not cheap burgers, I hasten to add!

 

[JTO]

Not cheap burgers, I hasten to add!

It was always said that sausages are the most expensive way of eating meat!

 

[VSS]

It was always said that sausages are the most expensive way of eating meat!

Yes. Having kept pigs all my life, I know that the most profitable thing to do with pork is turn the whole carcass into sausages. Forget all the "high value" fancy roasts and steaks, just put the whole thing into sausages.