It has continued to be an exciting time for Eat Wild with some notable landmarks and we continue to stick to our remit of marketing wild meat to those that have never tried it before and engage with all ages and cultures.
Alongside these significant events for us we had very busy interactions at Carfest which was especially exciting as all the product (pheasant, partridge, venison and pigeon) came from the locality and then processed at the Oakland Park facility and we could demonstrate the benefit of locally sourced, low carbon footprint, wild and healthy meat served and bought by a new audience resulting in 20 minute queues and eventually us running out of product!
Ludlow festival was another great success appealing to people interested in eating exciting new foods and enjoying the delicious game on offer.
I attended the Game Fair at Blenheim Palace and although on home ground surrounded by country people it was great to catch up with old friends and demonstrate what EW is doing promoting Game to the public. So many people were outwardly supportive of having an effective Game Marketing Organisation taking the product to those that had never considered it before.
Success was also validated by an Independent survey by Kantar showing that in the last year alone there has been more than a 15% financial increase in the UK which is remarkable in itself.
We are very grateful to everybody who has contributed to our 50 pence per bird shot voluntary donation which is the basis for our survival. We are always looking for new funding routes to allow us to continue this work and were excited to launch the Eat Wild Fiver for the future Campaign in association with our friends at GWCT.
Clients who have enjoyed a shooting lesson are urged to donate £5, with venues that secure the most in donations winning a lunch at one of the country’s top restaurants. Eat Wild would not be able to promote the benefits of shooting without the scientific research carried out by the GWCT so it is vital that we work together to ensure a future for fieldsports. Shooting grounds and schools that have already agreed so support and promote the Fiver for the Future initiative include West London Shooting School, Holland & Holland, Honesberie, Hownhall Shooting, Barbury Shoot, Bisley, Grimsthorpe Shooting Ground, Coleys, and Purdey at the Royal Berkshire.
Next week is Great British Game Week where we have a plethora of exciting events lined up, starting off with a Silent Auction, in partnership with GWCT and an online cookalong with Leon and Sarah, and finishing with the finals of the Eat Wild and Craft Guild of Chefs Competition, culminating in the naming of the next up and coming game chef to watch out for in the future.
At the start of the month, Sarah went to meet with the team at Ragley Estate Butchers to discuss their home grown and harvested game. Interestingly they are shooting all their deer with copper bullets which completely removes the ‘lead’ conversation in all of their venison. It was a truly impressive set up with textbook traceability shown, not just in their venison but in all their meat, and Eat Wild look forward to working with them more in the future.
Sarah and Leon spent a delightful morning last week at Naomi House and Jack’s Place in Stockbridge, demonstrating plucking, skinning and butchering birds, then cooking the meat over an open fire in the garden to some of the residents and their carers, who tried everything. They then cooked up a feast for the staff and residents which was a huge success and had people changing their minds about eating game in the future and will hopefully become a staple on the menu going forward.
The season is now in full swing and processors are at capacity so it is vital that we keep pushing forwards and ensuring that we engage with all sectors of society to promote game meat through our strategic marketing.
On this note, we are celebrating Wild Diwali this week, alongside nutritionist, chef and influencer Toral Shah. By partnering with Toral, whose focus is on nutrition and reducing the risk of disease through balanced eating, this collaboration serves as a powerful statement on how tradition and sustainability can work hand in hand to create delicious and health-conscious meals.
She has designed three mouthwatering, classic Indian dishes made from wild and responsibly sourced meat, infused with modern, health focused preparation methods, do check them out on the Eat Wild recipe section and get inspired.
Alan Beynon
Chairman
Eat Wild