Nutritional profile of venison and consumer attitudes towards game meat

[Freeforester]

In my experience, there is no lack of demand for "artisan" venison with provenance, although some people do need a bit of educating on how to cook it.
But you do need to put yourself in front of the customers and promote your product, which is fine if you're just a small-scale "Fred in a shed" type, with plenty of time and not too many deer.
The only way that demand is likely to increase at a more mainstream level is to get venison into catering.
Either way, the quality has to be good, and unfortunately a lot isn't.

Incidentally, I attended a Farmer's Market recently that was a new venue for me, so none of the customers knew me or expected venison to be available. By the time I'd got my stall set up there were people queuing to relieve me of my product and hand me their cash.
I had only butchered two 30kg (larder weight) prickets, and within 3 hours I'd sold the whole lot (just over £650), and now I'm getting emails from customers wanting venison again at next month's market.
I honestly wish I had access to the sort of numbers of deer that some of you chaps have, because selling it really isn’t difficult.

Careful Tim, twenty years hard labour lie that way, I’m only just out on parole now!

 

[Freeforester]

That's what I was getting at, selling a rutting stag/buck is not going to be to most people's taste never mind someone who's never tasted venison

It’s no coincidence that the wild venison promotion day is in September, and is basically run by those with not much by way of culinary expertise. Like Tim, I’d not even offer venison a rutting stag to a dog, well not an indoor kept one anyway, and did my utmost to educate my customers over two decades of that aspect.

Why is Venison priced so high?
- Because it’s deer…

 

[VSS]

Careful Tim, twenty years hard labour lie that way, I’m only just out on parole now!

Very true!
But you have to remember that my enthusiasm for stalking stems from wanting to sell meat from animals that I have killed and butchered. So stalking, for me, is a means to that end.
If I could legally have killed, butchered and sold my own sheep I would most likely never have got into stalking other than for personal consumption.

I'll never be in a position of stalking for the sake of stalking, and then wondering what to do with the carcass.

 

[Buchan]

Fair enough. Its part of a series of articles from our science team, drawing on academic papers we would never probably read ourselves. Clearly sparking an interest given discussion on here and other places online.

I get that, but the scientists should be good enough not to fall for the naturalistic fallacy!

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

I get that, but the scientists should be good enough not to fall for the naturalistic fallacy!

As a scientist I might disagree but there are always a range of views and I will pass your feedback on as food for thought.

 

[palmer_mike]

I have only ever had one person who asked about lead. A young Chinese student at Bangor University, who's partner was pregnant at the time. When I told him that the deer had been head shot, so the chances of lead contamination, while not absolutely zero, were virtually non-existent, he was happy and purchased from me.

It’s interesting isn’t it?
We are told from time to time that going lead free will open up venison sales but I’ve never met anyone that gives it much consideration as a factor in whether they will purchase venison or notx

 

[VSS]

It’s interesting isn’t it?
We are told from time to time that going lead free will open up venison sales but I’ve never met anyone that gives it much consideration as a factor in whether they will purchase venison or notx

I think it's one of those things which, if you are lead-free, can be an additional selling point, but if you're not then you just don’t mention it.

 

[75]

We are told from time to time that going lead free will open up venison sales but I’ve never met anyone that gives it much consideration as a factor in whether they will purchase venison or notx

A few years ago as I was looking to expand my venison sales I asked a question on a different forum about perception of venison (cycling / mountain biking for no specific reason other than I used to post on there years ago and still had an account). I knew SD was a skewed audience in that regard so wanted to get a "general public" view. A few key takeaways for me:

• Generally a lot of positivity about venison, particularly the ethical aspect, but lots of comments along the lines of "we'd eat more if we could source it more easily"
• Lead is an issue for some people - I deliberately didn't mention lead but the point was raised quite quickly - very anecdotal I appreciate, but it is an issue for some.

If anyone is bored: Venison & deer stalking - your views please

 

[wytonpjs]

If anyone is bored: Venison & deer stalking - your views please

Three pages

Some interesting comments from outside our world

 

[Pine Marten]

Indeed. And the article concludes regarding that research that: "Although this study was conducted in Croatia, similar research in the UK could help identify whether consumers are open to game but under-informed. Similar work in the UK could show whether more people here would choose game if they understood its benefits and how to cook it".

With that in mind I was reading recently that sports and entertainment caterer Levy has announced it will expand wild venison offerings across its venues as part of what it describes as its “deep decarbonisation journey”. Levy operates catering services at major UK and Irish venues including Twickenham Stadium and the O2 Arena.

Leading caterer Levy rolls out wild venison

Levy, catering at venues including Twickenham and the O2, introduces wild venison as part of its sustainability drive

www.shootinguk.co.uk

I mean, should you be in the market for a highly experienced and well-regarded (if I do say so myself, but not just myself...) consumer insights consultant... Just saying.

 

[VSS]

A few years ago as I was looking to expand my venison sales I asked a question on a different forum about perception of venison (cycling / mountain biking for no specific reason other than I used to post on there years ago and still had an account). I knew SD was a skewed audience in that regard so wanted to get a "general public" view. A few key takeaways for me:

• Generally a lot of positivity about venison, particularly the ethical aspect, but lots of comments along the lines of "we'd eat more if we could source it more easily"
• Lead is an issue for some people - I deliberately didn't mention lead but the point was raised quite quickly - very anecdotal I appreciate, but it is an issue for some.

If anyone is bored: Venison & deer stalking - your views please

There's more positivity about venison on your cycling forum than there ever is on here

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Most of my customers tell me that they don’t know where to get it… and of course how to cook it.

 

[VSS]

Most of my customers tell me that they don’t know where to get it… and of course how to cook it.

If your customers are telling you they don’t know where to get it......
.....Can I suggest you put your contact details on the packaging in future......