JAHAMA Highland Estates has opened its first food retail shop selling a new brand of ethically-produced wild venison.

The new brand is part of Jahama's strategy to make the activities and produce of the land more accessible to the local Highland population. The sustainable population of red deer across its 114,000 acre landholding are managed by annual culls to avoid overgrazing.

The new shop was officially opened by Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance Kate Forbes MSP, who said: “This is an extremely challenging time for our economy, and so the new venison shop in Fort William is a great encouragement. It’s allowing local people to access locally sourced food, strengthening our links with the land.

“The rural economy is so critical to the nation’s economic recovery, and this new shop has already created a new job and protected other jobs. As the constituency MSP I was delighted to formally open the shop today and speak to members of staff.”

Scotland’s Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon MSP added: “In September 2018 we launched the first strategy for Scotland’s wild and farmed venison sector, with its main aim to improve supply chains of venison.

“The opening of Jahama’s venison shop in Fort William will be welcome news for those in the area and for those involved in the sector. It is important that venison is accessible to all at an affordable price and Jahama’s products will help do just that.”

Julia Stoddart, Chief Operating Officer of Jahama Highland Estates, said: “Wild venison is the end product of competent deer management, which we believe should be available to local people in an accessible form and at an affordable price.”

“We also want to demonstrate how achievable it is for Scottish landowners to make native animal produce available for sale. Good quality wild meat harvested in a humane manner comes without the economic and environmental costs of transporting produce huge distances.”