Shoot more deer or see more deer that is the question?

[VSS]

In a nutshell that is why there will never be a huge venison market.
It’s a niche food
QED

It's a niche food currently, because that's all it's ever marketed as. And in the absence of any proper mainstream marketing campaign it'll remain a niche food. And there'll never be a proper mainstream marketing campaign unless there's funding for one. And there'll never be any funding without some kind of levy on carcass sales. So we go around in circles, and in the meantime myself and a good number of others on this site are quite happy to cash in on the niche market.

 

[sikamalc]

It was Pete, Frenchie Boy who was treated very badly by Zapp, however the Zapp (Hitler Vid) does resurface from time to time...Not sure who made that one up....
It might lighten up this long thread..

Thanks Tim. Yes I've seen the short film of the bunker pigeon argument before. Quite funny.

 

[sikamalc]

Nothing green about electric cars Malc.

Well it stayed rooted to the spot all night in a grass car park. But I learnt a lot from the AA guy who came out in the end. Still needed two of us to get it out of the slightly damp grass car park. But all's well that ends well.
As for electric cars.................not for me thank you.

 

[User00047]

It's no more a luxury than owning a car or a television or a mobile phone. None of those things are necessities.
It's quite easy to own woodland and not be in a position to do much with it at the current time.
But agreed, there's no point moaning about deer but not doing anything about deer. Unless you've already done everything thing you realistically can, but the neighbours don't. In which case a bit of moaning is justified.

Yes, who needs a car?
maybe instead of using a car to drive my kid to his hospital appointment, we can all go and sit in the woods.

 

[JTO]

Some members on here bare the scars of being a member, Tim 243 being one of them, If I am not mistaken (apologise Tim if this is not the case)

I was banned from Pigeon Watch for something I posted on here, likening a certain moderator to a third stream secondary school prefect.

 

[VSS]

Yes, who needs a car?
maybe instead of using a car to drive my kid to his hospital appointment, we can all go and sit in the woods.

Or you could just go by bus, like anyone else who couldn't afford the luxury of owning a car.

 

[User00047]

Or you could just go by bus, like anyone else who couldn't afford the luxury of owning a car.

Reliable public transportation!!!
That would truly be a luxury.

 

[VSS]

Reliable public transportation!!!
That would truly be a luxury.

I think it was quite reliable in the days before every household decided to indulge themselves in the luxury of a car or two.
Subsequently it's faded away through lack of use, which is hardly surprising. Although there are some good new local initiatives springing up around the country, so I've been lead to believe. I just hope they're supported, as they potentially provide a real lifeline to the elderly with regard to getting to routine medical appointments.

 

[big ears]

It's a niche food currently, because that's all it's ever marketed as. And in the absence of any proper mainstream marketing campaign it'll remain a niche food. And there'll never be a proper mainstream marketing campaign unless there's funding for one. And there'll never be any funding without some kind of levy on carcass sales. So we go around in circles, and in the meantime myself and a good number of others on this site are quite happy to cash in on the niche market.

But if your market is only for low air miles local food such that you cannot buy in then it is a very niche market and no amount of advertising changes the fact. As you said your customers only want local deer you have shot.

 

[gelert]

It's a niche food currently, because that's all it's ever marketed as. And in the absence of any proper mainstream marketing campaign it'll remain a niche food. And there'll never be a proper mainstream marketing campaign unless there's funding for one. And there'll never be any funding without some kind of levy on carcass sales. So we go around in circles, and in the meantime myself and a good number of others on this site are quite happy to cash in on the niche market.

But to be fair, you're market is somewhat unique. We are both living in Wales, which lets face it, for the most part is void of deer. If you had to rely on venisons sales from stalking alone in thispart of the world it would be a different story.

 

[VSS]

But if your market is only for low air miles local food such that you cannot buy in then it is a very niche market and no amount of advertising changes the fact. As you said your customers only want local deer you have shot.

But it's not significantly different from lamb, beef, etc. You can go into your local farmshop and buy artisan, rare-breed local beef, or you can go to the supermarket and buy the run-of-the mill commercial stuff. Essentially the same product, but targeting a different set of customers. The artisan producers do their own promotion and marketing to cash in on their uniqueness and "provenance", whereas the larger scale producers rely on marketing campaigns by the levy boards, which they contribute to.
With venison, we've got the artisan side of it sussed, and those producers are investing in marketing, but we're failing on the commercial side, where tonnage needs to be shifted, because no-one is doing the marketing. Everyone thinks its someone else's responsibility to sell the stuff, with the result that no-one does. It's unfair to state that there's no demand for it when no-one has really made any effort to create a commercial market.

But to be fair, you're market is somewhat unique. We are both living in Wales, which lets face it, for the most part is void of deer. If you had to rely on venisons sales from stalking alone in thispart of the world it would be a different story.

True, but having developed a successful model I could roll it out anywhere. If I had plenty of wild deer it would be better. In some areas in the UK you could hardly fail to do well out of wild venison sales, if you could be bothered.

 

[big ears]

But it's not significantly different from lamb, beef, etc. You can go into your local farmshop and buy artisan, rare-breed local beef, or you can go to the supermarket and buy the run-of-the mill commercial stuff. Essentially the same product, but targeting a different set of customers. The artisan producers do their own promotion and marketing to cash in on their uniqueness and "provenance", whereas the larger scale producers rely on marketing campaigns by the levy boards, which they contribute to.
With venison, we've got the artisan side of it sussed, and those producers are investing in marketing, but we're failing on the commercial side, where tonnage needs to be shifted, because no-one is doing the marketing. Everyone thinks its someone else's responsibility to sell the stuff, with the result that no-one does. It's unfair to state that there's no demand for it when no-one has really made any effort to create a commercial market.

True, but having developed a successful model I could roll it out anywhere. If I had plenty of wild deer it would be better. In some areas in the UK you could hardly fail to do well out of wild venison sales, if you could be bothered.

Good luck but I do think perhaps you are a bit deluded. I may be wrong and if so I’ll eat my words but I don’t think there is a huge market out there.

 

[sikamalc]

Ok I think this thread has run its course.