“My clear message not only for sheep meat farmers but also venison farmers, you have incentives to build up your herds again.”
Eyckeler is one of Alliance Group’s largest lamb, mutton and venison customers, supplying retail and food service markets throughout Europe.
Its customers include Metro Group, which operates 751 stores in 25 countries.
Alliance’s relationship with the Eyckeler family goes back 30 years to when his parents founded an exclusive butcher shop in Dusseldorf. Their business steadily expanded before being sold in the early 2000s.
In 2008 Eyckeler started his firm, which sourced half its meat from NZ, of which 90% came from Alliance.
Eyckeler said European consumers are becoming more discerning, seeking high-quality meat and they want assurance it is produced ethically.
As Germans travel to places like the Mediterranean they are being exposed to lamb and want to eat it once they return home.
During the summer barbecue season his targeted demographic of mid to upper class consumers prefers to cook venison and lamb.
But such has been the heatwave this European summer, meat consumption has fallen away markedly.
Stocks are high throughout Europe because of the summer heat, which reached 40C and encouraged people to eat lighter meals.
But the build-up of stock is not dramatic and sales will pick up through the European autumn, he said.
Eyckeler has been promoting the year-round eating of venison but progress is slow.
Chilled venison sold well over summer and continues do so through autumn when it is traditionally eaten.
But as soon as Easter arrives it will be removed from many shop shelves.
Undeterred, Eyckeler is continuing to promote it as a year-round dish.
“It’s a hard job and it will not happen overnight but we are not giving up.”
Like most of the world, Eyckeler is watching the Brexit negotiations between the United Kingdom and European Union saying there is little indication about the outcome.
It appears Britain wants to leave Europe but keep many of the access privileges, which the European Union is resisting.
Should Britain lose its privileged trading links to Europe that could mean the imposition of tariffs and an end to trading licences.
If that happens it will interrupt trade between Britain and the EU, which could affect trade from NZ exporters.
But Eyckeler said it is all speculation.
“In the end nobody knows what is going to happen.”
