Author Archives: Dick Playfair

Tim Maddams, formerly Head Chef at the River Cottage Canteen, and now based in Morayshire in Scotland is passionate about natural foods, foraging and all the good natural products that we can eat and enjoy. It’s no surprise then that … Continue reading →

Congratulations to Highland Game for seeing off some very stiff competition to win the award for Meat Product of the Year for its Wild Scottish Venison Loin at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards 2024 in Glasgow on 9 … Continue reading →

Catchment-scale nature restoration project, the Findhorn Watershed Initiative, is set to raise awareness of its recently launched Deer Forum and Deer Management Strategy at Logie Timber Festival this weekend 7 and 8 September 2024. Launched in May 2024 after 12-months … Continue reading →

Scottish Venison Day 4 September was marked with the opening of a new larder/chill facility in South West Scotland. This is the first of three new local venison chill pilot projects to come on stream supported by funding from the … Continue reading →

The three organisations that last year set the concept of a venison subsidy in motion have welcomed yesterday’s announcement by Mairi McAllan Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy that work on venison is included in a set … Continue reading →

Tom Turnbull, Chair of the Association of Deer Management Groups; Duncan Orr-Ewing, Convenor, Scottish Environment LINK’s Deer Group; Richard Cooke, Chair, Scottish Venison.  All are members of the Common Ground Forum. Scottish venison is bringing people from all sides of … Continue reading →

The Scottish Venison Summit took place on Monday 20 November at the Birnam Arts and Conference Centre, Perthshire. Under the title Taking Stock the summit attended by around 100 delegates from right across the venison supply chain – stalkers and … Continue reading →

‘Taking Stock’, the Scottish Venison summit, will take place at the Birnam Arts and Conference Centre, Birnam, Perthshire from 10.00 to 16.30hrs on Monday 20 November 2023. The event is supported by the Association of Deer Management Groups (ADMG). The … Continue reading →

Scottish Venison and the Country Food Trust agree way forward on Scottish Venison Day 4 September to see more Scottish venison routed to charitable causes Scottish Venison, the body that represents the Scottish venison sector has agreed a ‘supply template’ … Continue reading →

This summer light up the BBQ and experience Aldi’s NEW Specially Selected Smoky Venison Burger (£2.99, 340g), available from all 104 Aldi Scottish stores from 16 June showcasing venison at great value. Aldi shoppers across the UK are now able … Continue reading →

Scotland’s wild venison sector has come together to produce a statement of intent (SOI) committing to research and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Scottish Government’s call to respond to the climate emergency. The statement … Continue reading →

Scottish Quality Wild Venison (SQWV) has engaged SAI Global to manage the SQWV standards and to provide the next phase of quality assurance service for Scottish venison producers. Scottish Quality Wild Venison Ltd (SQWV) is an independent company that, for … Continue reading →

UK retail venison sales continue to rise Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, welcomes additional funding for venison sector through Scotland Food & Drink Partnership Covid recovery programme Scottish Venison Day falls annually on 4 September, also the launch … Continue reading →

Sector seeks support as Eat Venison Day kicks off Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight on Saturday 4September Highland Game, the UK’s leading wild venison supplier, is calling on retailers, butchers, restaurateurs and consumers to support the sector through a critical … Continue reading →

The campaign is a part of the joint, industry and Scottish Government recovery plan for Scotland’s farming, fishing, food and drink sector. The first project to receive funding through this programme it is delivered by SAOS and the Scottish Venison … Continue reading →

Dundee based food firm, Highland Game, has announced an investment of over £150,000 implementing a set of stringent measures following the outbreak of COVID-19 ensuring safety and security for all employees.  The UK’s largest producer of venison employing over 80 … Continue reading →

Following a reported increase in ‘doorstep sales’ and giving away of venison, the Scottish Venison Association has issued the following statement: However well meaning, the giving away or selling of any wild game meat outside of the hunter’s exemption (“to … Continue reading →

Forestry and Land Scotland’s deer management programme was hailed as exemplary when Rural Affairs Minister, Mairi Gougeon, on 3 March 2020 announced a £13 million, five-year venison supply contract between Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and Highland Game Ltd. The … Continue reading →

Increased demand for lean protein fuelling growth for Scottish venison supplier The award-winning Scottish supplier of wild venison, Highland Game, has secured a new partnership with the UK’s largest recipe box company Gousto and increased distribution with UK wholesale partners … Continue reading →