Yorkshire Firm Takes Record Summer Orders as Venison hits Mainstream Tastes

Venison is the new beef, say supermarket buyers hot on the trail of new food trends. Holme Farmed Venison, based in Sherburn North Yorkshire has just taken record orders from three major supermarkets for their steaks, grill steaks and sausages.

The Grocer, the food & drink industry's premier trade magazine reports that Venison sales are up a whopping 75% year on year and the popularity of Venison looks set to conquer that last bastion of manly meatiness…the British Barbeque.

Holme Farmed Venison Managing Director Nigel Sampson says, "Venison has always been perceived as the preserve of claret swigging red faced colonels in plus fours —but it's swiftly shrugging off its' tweedy image and heading mainstream. So much so that demand is outstripping supply. I've just taken a new order to supply 394 Sainsbury's stores for our venison grill steaks—delicious low fat burgers. Five years ago, you couldn't imagine taking such a huge order for summer. There really has been a renaissance in eating venison, largely down to the fact that consumers are becoming more adventurous eaters—and the meat is a healthy alternative to beef."

Venison is a rich fully flavoured meat with a well kept secret, it's incredibly low in fat and calories. A venison grill steak clocks just 105 calories, a venison sausage, a mere 117 calories and a venison burger, just 102 calories., and they are all less than 1.6% fat. Venison is the ultimate high flavour, low fat meat.

One fan of venison is the celebrity chef Hugh Fernley Wittingstall. His recent book on meat explains the current popularity, "Until the early eighties, the (venison) supply was limited and seasonal and the venison came from the annual cull of red deer on Britain's sporting estates, mainly in Scotland. It was expensive and in short supply. Now that venison is more widely farmed, it is more affordable and available. This is good news, as it is an excellent meat that deserves your attention."

"The result is venison is one of the few game meats that actually seems to be gaining popularity and availability. Supermarkets are getting into the act, promoting venison as a lean, low-fat and healthy alternative to the main farmed meats."

Nigel Sampson concludes, "I'm delighted that people have discovered the delights of venison and predict the trend will continue. It really is the best locally sourced, ethically reared meat available. I'd like to persuade more grassland farmers to rear deer. The demand for venison is currently outstripping supply and farmers need to heed this market trend."