VENISON producers are seeking greater recognition for their 'homegrown, sustainable and healthy' protein.

This Saturday, September 4, is official 'Eat Venison Day', and the occasion has been marked with a call to retailers, butchers, restaurateurs and consumers to support the sector through a critical period.

Speaking from Dundee-based wild venison supplier Highland Game, managing director Christian Nissen said: “All we are hearing about right now is shortages in supermarkets and in the foodservice supply chain, and we believe there is real potential for venison to help fill that gap. If retailers, restaurateurs, butchers and the public get behind venison and celebrate this amazing homegrown product, it could help meet an urgent need.

“We are about to enter a crucial time for deer culling and venison production – our season runs from October to March," noted Mr Nissen. "Much of the necessary deer management work was not undertaken last year which leaves too many deer and a potential eco-system imbalance – there’s not enough food to sustain the higher numbers which means higher mortality, suffering and a knock-on effect on land management of trees and crops.”

He suggested that suppliers, retailers and foodservice businesses could work in partnership to keep wild deer numbers stable in order for bio-diversity to thrive, while satisfying consumer demand and tackling supply chain problems.

However, Highland Game is already doing well in its own niche – the company supplies Tesco, Morrisons, ASDA, Aldi, Coop, Lidl and Waitrose, and has grown significantly in the last 12 months, with category retail sales up 16% year-on-year, outstripping general grocery growth at 11% and red meat growth at 13%.

To meet demand, the company has just agreed a new supply contract with Forestry England, which has the potential to boost its volume by 15%, building on existing partnerships with Forestry Land Scotland and more than 250 independent estates.

But with an 85% dip in foodservice trade in 2020 due to the pandemic, Mr Nissen is hopeful that during the recovery of the hospitality sector, consumers will seek out more venison in foodservice outlets. As rumours swirl of ongoing supply chain problems in the poultry sector, he described Christmas in particular as a period of 'key opportunity' for venison to make new inroads with consumers.

“Wild Venison is a delicious indigenous meat, super lean and high in protein, sustainable, traceable and relatively inexpensive given its free roaming nature in mostly remote areas of the country," he said.

“The upward trend in retail trade shows that consumer demand for venison is definitely increasing and we believe butchers and restaurants can capitalise on this, particularly at Christmas when the supply chain challenges for other meats may not have been ironed out.

“Over recent years we have been aware of the obstacles around Brexit and how that would impact supplying our neighbours in Germany and France. As a result, we have concentrated on the home market, de-prioritising the export market because we know what is good for them is better for us," he added.