Silver Fern Farms (SFF) group marketing manager Nicola Johnston says 41% of premium meat consumers are now regularly buying venison.
This is up from 30% five years ago.
SFF has expanded its retail range to meet the growing consumer demand, adding venison cutlets and venison minute steaks.
“We’ve responded to that by ensuring our venison range offers something for everyone, from cuts that can be used to create special occasion meals to impress, to those that are quick, easy and nutritious for family week-night meals,” Johnston said.
“These additions to the range reflect growing consumer demand in this category as a result of growing awareness of the high nutritional value and delicate flavour and versatility of farmed venison.”
Each of the two new products in the venison range caters to different needs and complements the wider range of venison products.
Johnston says the 300g venison cutlets are the first bone-in product in the range and look exquisite on the plate, as well as being beautifully tender.
The 400g venison minute steaks can be prepared as fast as the name promises and open a realm of possibilities such as a quick and easy lunch, canape or snack to enjoy on the go.
“Our venison is all pasture-raised, grass-fed on New Zealand farms, with no hormones added, ever,” she said.
“The result is a consistent, delicate flavour and in addition to its great taste and versatility, it’s incredibly nutritious – so good that it has been said by experts that if a scientist could create an ideal meat it would be venison.”
North Canterbury deer farmer Sam Zino produces deer to meet the premium venison market demand.
His many years of livestock farming have taught him that understanding what the processor and consumer wants is the way he needs to produce his stock for the market.
He says there are still legacy misperceptions about venison in that its flavour is too gamey or that it’s only for fine dining, which hold some consumers back from trying it.
“Though more and more we hear people asking ‘where can we buy some venison to cook at home?’” he said.
Zino’s deer operation runs 500 hinds and 275 velveting stags that fit into the wider farming operation that also includes sheep, beef and cropping on the family’s 1100-hectare property in North Canterbury.
While lamb and beef remain the red meat staples, Zino says venison, with its differing nutritional and environmental qualities, is emerging as a popular red meat.
Venison is higher in iron and selenium than beef and lamb, and lower in fat than skinless chicken.
With its higher proportion of energy from protein it is a great choice for those who want to benefit from the nutritional value of meat while reducing saturated fat intake.
It is also a great choice for conscious consumers who care about the provenance of their food and the relative environmental footprint of its production.
“As an industry we are encouraging it (venison) for the local market,” he said.
“It will take time and it does need to be price competitive, that could be the stumbling block for the farmer and the consumer.”
The increasing on-farm expenses to comply with the environmental challenges make venison more costly to produce.
“New rules such as the cost of fencing to farm (deer) makes it significantly more expensive than keeping cattle behind a fence,” he said.
“We are more mindful that may stop expansion in deer if it gets too hard, that’s the danger in the equation.”
Meeting the consumer demand is also about following rules.
“At my end, it’s about making the best economic decisions, targeting weight at specific times of the year, killing down on scheduled contract prices and killing inside the criteria of processing demand,” he said.
Supplying deer to SFF, Zino sells 70% of his yearling stock in the spring chilled market.
“I would only be carrying about 5% after Christmas and that’s because that’s what the market demands,” he said.
Like all other products in SFF retail range, the venison cuts come trimmed and portioned, ready-to-cook and eat.
“I haven’t had any to try as yet, so I really can’t tell you from a taste experience just how good it is, but I can tell you it’s produced sustainably with passion and commitment to deliver the best quality I can,” Zino said.
SFF’s new venison cutlets and minute steaks went into supermarkets nationwide last week.
