Has venison been on the telly recently?

[Roedeer 1962]

Just needs some more promotion by prominent people

 

[wytonpjs]

Just needs some more promotion by prominent people

Arguably, the chefs (Mike Robinson, De Sousa, et al) are doing there bit, including the national newspapers. It also needs a national strategy between DEFRA, FC, FLS and other government departments (perhaps including NHS in a nutritional role) to promote and join up the venison supply/consumption chain.

 

[VSS]

. It also needs a national strategy between DEFRA, FC, FLS and other government departments (perhaps including NHS in a nutritional role) to promote and join up the venison supply/consumption chain.

That does come with the risk that it'll be taken out of the hands of small-scale producers and recreational stalkers.
We've already seen what happened with the British Quality Venison Assurance scheme, where in order to be eligible all carcasses had to pass through an AGHE, which basically shut the door of that scheme firmly in the face of the small-scale producer-retailers.

 

[wytonpjs]

That does come with the risk that it'll be taken out of the hands of small-scale producers and recreational stalkers.
We've already seen what happened with the British Quality Venison Assurance scheme, where in order to be eligible all carcasses had to pass through an AGHE, which basically shut the door of that scheme firmly in the face of the small-scale producer-retailers.

Totally agree, but we really need the gov/commercial input to drive change. I fully recognise your fear (aka lead debate) about the small producers, but frankly, the sheer volume of small producers operating as registered food businesses should give us a space at the table and a voice in the policy. Perhaps naïve, but frankly as a small cog in this system, I will never bring about the changes we all seek.

 

[VSS]

Totally agree, but we really need the gov/commercial input to drive change. I fully recognise your fear (aka lead debate) about the small producers, but frankly, the sheer volume of small producers operating as registered food businesses should give us a space at the table and a voice in the policy. Perhaps naïve, but frankly as a small cog in this system, I will never bring about the changes we all seek.

When the spaces at the table are already occupied by Forestry Commission, supermarkets, and the UK's largest AGHE (who buys from Forestry England and sells to the aforementioned supermarkets), what hope of you and I got of also getting a space at that table?
The "sheer volume" of small-scale producer-retailers is but an annoying fly in the ointment to their system.
I don’t think the lead debate enters into it much, but the fact that Forestry rangers are all using copper makes that an easy point of leverage.

However, I do feel that a lot of chefs are on the side of the smaller artisan producers, and there's a consumer shift towards buying directly from producers, so that's all good. But we've got to keep our noses clean and not bend the rules or compromise on quality.

 

[Dorset Guy]

Certainly I've had some good catering orders recently, including one pub that has put in an order for a weekly delivery from late September right through until Christmas.

But it's the domestic orders that have really shot up, which is why I was wondering if it had been featured on a popular show?
I've just come in from the larder now, having been skinning a pricket ready to butcher tomorrow. I have pre-orders for every part of it, including the liver and kidneys.
It's gone crazy!
I'm not complaining, but I do wish we had more deer in north Wales!

@VSS pop down to the SW and take some of the plague down here. Plenty to go round for everyone...

 

[Morkai]

In late October, OnlyScrans (IG, YT etc) put out a new food tour episode around Shrewsbury.

He goes to see Adam Purnell at his woodfired restaurant, Embers Café, between Shrewsbury and Telford.

His sunday roast has lamb, pork, chicken option etc, but Adam was saying that during the winter he takes beef off until April and subs in local venison.

The YT vid has 70k views and OnlyScrans has over a million followers across multiple platforms.

All good exposure, and thebroast did look good so maybe some will be tempted to try it.

 

[Morkai]

Just looking at the comments on the video, and the Embers owner has updated OnlyScrans to say hes now booked up til mid December since being on OnlyScrans.

 

[weblyish]

Never put much store in the fairly mediocre "EatWild" "Game week" type initiatives which seem a bit lacklustre usually but maybe-just maybe it had something to do with it

 

[VSS]

Interestingly, I'm also getting a lot more enquiries for livers and kidneys.

 

[BenBhoy]

Cattle prices are high at the moment, to be fair, which is good for some farmers, but it's hitting the farmers who buy in cattle now for overwintering. By the time they sell those expensive cattle in a year's time, the price of beef will most likely have dropped again and they'll lose money on them.

The writing was on the wall start of the year. We made the decision to make our current batch of store cattle our last, just too expensive. Made decision instead to buy in dairy X & get them on adlib via heateave then wean. Lack of grass didn't help but now theyre in on adlib cake & barley and look good. Still working out the sums but it was only way we could afford to keep cattle on farm even if its a long term project.

 

[mammoth200]

Posted about this subject around a month or so ago that I'd noticed a general uptick in the mainstream of venison, but I don't know what may have driven this to you on a more local level. Have you considered asking your customers? It may point to a single source. With the advent of the social medias I abhor (tiktok, Faceache, twitter etc), they often foster these mad dashes for things which are 'trending'.

Edit: a bit of sleuthing seemed to unearth some references to #britishgameweek on instagram at the beginning of November driving up engagement, could perhaps be related?

 

[wytonpjs]

 

[63]

Interestingly, I'm also getting a lot more enquiries for livers and kidneys.

Banging on about the health benefits of eating offal is quite on trend for fitness influencers at the moment.

 

[Hoppy]

A lot of top end restaurants are switching to game and venison in particular because of the big increase in the cost of beef and struggle to justify £120plus for say a cote de boeuf
Been in the news a fair bit over the last month or so

Game dealers are charging to collect feathered game this year! (Scotland)

 

[Andydorset]

A local pizzeria to me, have it on, only pepperoni but it’s a start.

 

[VSS]

I've just had three wholesale enquiries, from butchers looking for a reliable regular supply.

Also, a flying trade at the Welsh Winter Fair this year. Pretty much sold out.

Definitely something going on. Demand for venison is just going up and up, rapidly.

 

[Mike1979]

I've just had three wholesale enquiries, from butchers looking for a reliable regular supply.

Also, a flying trade at the Welsh Winter Fair this year. Pretty much sold out.

Definitely something going on. Demand for venison is just going up and up, rapidly.

Good news Tim

 

[Taff]

Went into supermarket yesterday and goat for sale first time I have seen it, probably due to the number of Philippines around milking cows

 

[gixer1]

Yes, it was promoted as an ingredient of breakfast burrito’s in Landman’s latest episode…

Good to see.