BRAEHEAD FOODS has announced it will continue to exclusively collect game birds from British Game Alliance assured shoots next season.

Scotland's largest game processor, based in Kilmarnock, was one of the first game processors to sign up to the scheme in 2018, and will continue to do so in the 2020/21 season, in order to continue to meet the quality assurance demands of its clients.

The BGA is the UK's marketing board for game meat, working closely with 18 game processors in the UK, covering over 65% of the game market. It runs an assurance scheme ensuring that consumers can be confident of the provenance of their food from 'egg to plate’. Game meat marked with the BGA logo have been shot and prepared according to strict 'best practice' guidelines. Registered BGA members are assessed for their compliance to these guidelines by a team of independent auditors – similar to that of the Red Tractor Scheme.

Managing Director of Braehead Foods, Craig Stevenson, said, “Braehead Foods has been processing and supplying Scottish game to chefs across the UK and Europe (EEC1738) for over 30 years, and we are proud to be part of the British Game Alliance assurance scheme. In 2019, we only collected game from BGA audited estates and will continue with this throughout 2020. Not only are the BGA promoting the consumption of game, they are ensuring by using approved auditors that the highest standards of animal welfare and game handling are practiced by their audited estates from hatchery to plate.

“Collecting and processing game from BGA audited shoots gives Braehead Foods the confidence that the game we supply is high quality while offering consumers confidence in the provenance and total traceability of the game they eat,” he added.

BGA Commercial Director, Matt Tough welcomed the decision: “We are delighted that Braehead Foods will continue to lead the way in exclusively processing game birds from BGA assured shoots. Our shoot standards ensure that modern consumers can be confident in the provenance of the meat, including focus on animal welfare and environmental impact, as well as quality. We hope to see the rise in demand for sustainable game meat continue with other game processors following suit,” he concluded.