Venison Shortage reported by major gamedealers.

[Bugsy]

Nothing wrong with good money for well shot , clean carcasses .

 

[Cottis]

Wish I could get £40/kg for loin - mine goes at £22/kg!

You sell a 200g piece of loin for less than £4.50? Eeek, that is very very cheap.

I don't sell mine, I eat a lot of venison but I would want a tenner for a portion of loin.

 

[VSS]

Deadweight cattle prices are about £6.50/kg.
There's no particularly good rationale for a wildly different price.
I certainly won't bother selling at £2-3 /per kg, and obviously some others feel similarly.

Deadweight cattle prices don't include the skin, remember.
But yes, I agree with you.

Ideally, deer carcasses wouldn't be priced by the game dealer until after the skin was off and potential lean meat yield could be assessed. That would be the fairest system.
However, it's not likely ever to happen, firstly because a lot stalkers expect to be paid cash on delivery, and secondly because the game dealer may sell on the carcass before it is skinned.
Therefore, I would suggest a sliding scale of prices, topping at £4/kg for headshot prime animals, and gradually declining in price based on shot placement, age, body condition etc. Some carcasses at the very bottom end of the quality spectrum would be turned away, or the stalker would have the option to pay the game dealer for their disposal.

Incidentally, just in case some of my earlier posts on this thread have been misinterpreted, I'd just like to point out that I'm not advising anyone to headshoot deer. That would be irresponsible of me. Neither do I headshoot any wild deer. I don't have the neccessary skill or confidence to do so. However, I do know stalkers who have achieved the level of competence required to headshoot the majority of their deer, and they're making good money out of carcass sales. They shouldn't be criticised for that, and anyone who hasn't got that level of confidence or skill should accept that fact, and be prepared to accept a lower price for a lower quality product.
The main purpose of my posts is to try to drive home the fact that there really is a very significant difference in value between a headshot carcass and other shot placements, not just in terms of meat yield but in terms of associated processing costs, and under the current pricing system the producers of better carcasses are subsidising the producers of poorer carcasses.

 

[Apthorpe]

under the current pricing system the producers of poorer carcasses are subsidising the producers of better carcasses.

Vice versa?

 

[VSS]

Vice versa?

Yup. Well spotted. I'll correct it now.

 

[Stephenbuck2489]

Depends on the cut. High value cuts, such as loin (£40+ per kg), will obviously be more expensive per kg than something like mince at £10/kg, for example.

However, if you average across everything, making allowance for the ratio of high:low value cuts in the carcass, it comes out at around £18/kg

But it takes a lot of work, and a lot of cost, to get it to point of sale in order to achieve those prices.

Edit:
Maybe I misread the question.
Were you asking what would be a fair price at the game dealers?

sorry yes. a fair price from game dealer.

i understand there is potential good proffit with skill and time to break down into individual cuts as you do yourself .
but i definitely realise this takes skill, allot of time, the right space, and then an end customer, so i know the dealer will work best for the majority.

 

[wytonpjs]

Is it worth putting in the hours for that price?

I did a lot of research before setting my prices. Spent many days online, perusing other people's price lists. I pitched my prices somewhere near the bottom of the top third.

Also, a bit of good advice I got from a neighbour who had a very successful business retailing pork from his own pigs: Don't ever discount your product.

Frankly no, but it’s the only way I can peruse my hobby. I don’t price in my time. Local butchers are not interested, Nearest AGHE is over an hour away and my deer come in ones and twos. I too looked at others pricing and run a spreadsheet of values but frankly, it comes down to what the market can stand locally for me.

Looking at yours, we a not a lot different in terms on mince and diced, but I would be staggered to get what you do for loin/haunch steaks here. Another factor is that most of my product goes out via a local charity (trust) farm shop. Not only do they get a discount but I have to be careful I don’t undercut their prices for their high welfare pork, lamb and occasional beef they sell.

It’s a New Year so time to do a pricing review but surrounded by Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco large stores, they tend to form most of my comparative data sources for equivalent beef, lamb and chicken as most buyers are seeing it as a replacement for those and not a high end luxury.

 

[VSS]

Frankly no, but it’s the only way I can peruse my hobby.

That's as good a reason as any. There's not many sporting hobbies that'll pay for themselves.

I don’t price in my time. Local butchers are not interested, Nearest AGHE is over an hour away and my deer come in ones and twos. I too looked at others pricing and run a spreadsheet of values but frankly, it comes down to what the market can stand locally for me.

You might be surprised what the market can stand!

Looking at yours, we a not a lot different in terms on mince and diced, but I would be staggered to get what you do for loin/haunch steaks here. Another factor is that most of my product goes out via a local charity (trust) farm shop. Not only do they get a discount but I have to be careful I don’t undercut their prices for their high welfare pork, lamb and occasional beef they sell.

Selling wholesale, with discounts, I have decided isn't really worthwhile. A pity, because it's good to get venison into as many outlets as possible. Fair play to you for working with another retailer to make it work
Incidentally, with beef prices currently as high as they are, you'll almost certainly be undercutting it.

It’s a New Year so time to do a pricing review but surrounded by Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco large stores, they tend to form most of my comparative data sources for equivalent beef, lamb and chicken as most buyers are seeing it as a replacement for those and not a high end luxury.

I find that customers buy into the story. Provenance sells! Price is very low on their list of considerations.

 

[slider]

Looking at yours, we a not a lot different in terms on mince and diced, but I would be staggered to get what you do for loin/haunch steaks here.

Similarly with me.

I can sell dice and mince at £5.50 for 500g all day long, but have little demand for backstage streaks at £17/kg.
I often end up dicing it, which breaks my heart for suck lovely meat!

 

[VSS]

Similarly with me.

I can sell dice and mince at £5.50 for 500g all day long, but have little demand for backstage streaks at £17/kg.
I often end up dicing it, which breaks my heart for suck lovely meat!

I doubt it's the price that's limiting your sales of steaks. More likely people don't really know what to do with them, perhaps not being used to cooking and eating venison. Fear of the unknown.
Mince and dice are familiar, comfortable products. Easy to utilise in everyday meals that they're already used to. As you say, they're easy to sell.
I spend a lot of time talking to my new customers about how to cook venison. Often, this results in a cautious purchase of some diced stewing steak, but 9 times out of 10 they'll be back next month to make a much more ambitious purchase.
Diced shoulder is possibly my best seller (in terms of volume), and it's a great introduction to venison for new customers. Which is why I don't like it if they're shot up!

 

[Tim.243]

Frankly no, but it’s the only way I can peruse my hobby. I don’t price in my time. Local butchers are not interested, Nearest AGHE is over an hour away and my deer come in ones and twos. I too looked at others pricing and run a spreadsheet of values but frankly, it comes down to what the market can stand locally for me.

Looking at yours, we a not a lot different in terms on mince and diced, but I would be staggered to get what you do for loin/haunch steaks here. Another factor is that most of my product goes out via a local charity (trust) farm shop. Not only do they get a discount but I have to be careful I don’t undercut their prices for their high welfare pork, lamb and occasional beef they sell.

It’s a New Year so time to do a pricing review but surrounded by Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco large stores, they tend to form most of my comparative data sources for equivalent beef, lamb and chicken as most buyers are seeing it as a replacement for those and not a high end luxury.

You have hit the nail on the head with "Frankly no, but it’s the only way I can peruse my hobby"
As I have mentioned previously the need for a steady decent income is the whole reason people have jobs and in terms of membership only a handful of people and I use this term loosely "make it pay" as they will have other forms of income, farms are a perfect example as it is very rare these days not to see a barns rented out, the old milking shed converted into cosy little offices with people running their business from them.
I am on farms a lot and see all sorts of business from Glamping tents to wholesale monster drinks and everything in between but not noticed one
or had it mentioned (as I shoot on all but one of the farms) a company processing venison wholesale or retail with thank God for Ben Rigby.

Let's be honest go back to when many of us went with the new wife or girlfriend with our wage slips or set of books looking for a mortgage would "us" want to start again and swap the security of a long term job to a sole trader shooting deer and producing venison.
Romantically I would say many members would but reality wise they will keep to the early starts long boring days which pays the bills lol

 

[slider]

I doubt it's the price that's limiting your sales of steaks. More likely people don't really know what to do with them, perhaps not being used to cooking and eating venison. Fear of the unknown.
Mince and dice are familiar, comfortable products. Easy to utilise in everyday meals that they're already used to. As you say, they're easy to sell.

Your your right but also to add many of my customers are busy people who commute to work - Dice is ideal for the slow cooker. I have provided many with a lovely slow cooker casserole recipe - perhaps contributing to my own downfall!!

 

[sauer]

Now.do same for your steaks...
Tell your customers how to do it and push the taste and provenance

Paul

 

[ABL]

I doubt it's the price that's limiting your sales of steaks. More likely people don't really know what to do with them, perhaps not being used to cooking and eating venison. Fear of the unknown.
Mince and dice are familiar, comfortable products. Easy to utilise in everyday meals that they're already used to. As you say, they're easy to sell.
I spend a lot of time talking to my new customers about how to cook venison. Often, this results in a cautious purchase of some diced stewing steak, but 9 times out of 10 they'll be back next month to make a much more ambitious purchase.
Diced shoulder is possibly my best seller (in terms of volume), and it's a great introduction to venison for new customers. Which is why I don't like it if they're shot up!

I'm interested in your main marketing channel for this - is it mostly face to face sold through your stall, or on line or with a WhatsApp group of regular customers. I doubt that too many (stalkers) would go to the stall route, but a lot might sell on line if you could grow a local market that way?

 

[VSS]

I'm interested in your main marketing channel for this - is it mostly face to face sold through your stall, or on line or with a WhatsApp group of regular customers. I doubt that too many (stalkers) would go to the stall route, but a lot might sell on line if you could grow a local market that way?

Mostly through Instagram. Local customers.
And having a presence at a couple of really big food festivals (easily sell 5-7 fallow in a day at those, and gain new regular customers).
Recently started having a regular (monthly) stall at a small Farmer's Market. Generally sell 2-3 fallow in a couple of hours at those.

Online (remote) sales is tricky due to cost of packaging and courier. Haven't yet found a cost effective solution.

Generally speaking, apart from when preparing for an event, I butcher to order, exactly what the customer wants. A kind of bespoke service.

 

[Grand Slam]

Mostly through Instagram. Local customers.
And having a presence at a couple of really big food festivals (easily sell 5-7 fallow in a day at those, and gain new regular customers).
Recently started having a regular (monthly) stall at a small Farmer's Market. Generally sell 2-3 fallow in a couple of hours at those.

Online (remote) sales is tricky due to cost of packaging and courier. Haven't yet found a cost effective solution.

Generally speaking, apart from when preparing for an event, I butcher to order, exactly what the customer wants. A kind of bespoke service.

That is pretty much what I do. I have a loyal, local customer base that come round the house to collect. We attend some small farmers markets and seem to do pretty well. We did have a stall at Blenheim Horse Trials last year but I reckon we only just covered all the costs involved with that. Instagram and Facebook are probably our best routes to market and like your good self, the postage option is one we continue to explore but yet to find a decent service which doesn't involve a huge cost to the customer.

 

[ABL]

Mostly through Instagram. Local customers.
And having a presence at a couple of really big food festivals (easily sell 5-7 fallow in a day at those, and gain new regular customers).
Recently started having a regular (monthly) stall at a small Farmer's Market. Generally sell 2-3 fallow in a couple of hours at those.

Online (remote) sales is tricky due to cost of packaging and courier. Haven't yet found a cost effective solution.

Generally speaking, apart from when preparing for an event, I butcher to order, exactly what the customer wants. A kind of bespoke service.

So you mostly find customers (locally) through stall sales and then keep them on your books for future sales via Insta? And they come to you (at home?) to pick up future sales so avoiding postage?

 

[sauer]

Under hunters exemption i can only trade within a small limit past my county boundaries so dont bother with postage
Im same as other guys, I use Instagram and a Facebook page to promote game in general and when I have stock available... and folk pick up from the house/ larder

Paul

 

[VSS]

Under hunters exemption i can only trade within a small limit past my county boundaries so dont bother with postage

Is that another example of your FSA guidance being different from ours?
I could sell online and courier out to any part of the UK.

So you mostly find customers (locally) through stall sales and then keep them on your books for future sales via Insta? And they come to you (at home?) to pick up future sales so avoiding postage?

That's broadly how it works.
Although I travel quite a long way to attend big annual events. Customers at those events are obviously not local to me.
But small local events are great for raising profile.
Some customers only come to me twice a year, but when they do they might spend a couple of hundred quid.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Is that another example of your FSA guidance being different from ours?
I could sell online and courier out to any part of the UK.


That's broadly how it works.
Although I travel quite a long way to attend big annual events. Customers at those events are obviously not local to me.
But small local events are great for raising profile.
Some customers only come to me twice a year, but when they do they might spend a couple of hundred quid.

So, when at a market, do you use freezer boxes, or a chiller or anything?