Covid saw the collapse of wholesale venison prices. Attadale Estate applied for a licence to sell venison directly to the consumer and local hospitality outlets. With training by the former butcher in Lochcarron, Thomas Watson the stalker rapidly became an expert at making venison sausages and burgers, finding a ready market locally. With the gardens open to the public and four holiday cottages, there was an immediate market which could be tapped. Using social media locally, word spread enabling Attadale Wild Venison to be delivered to local hospitality outlets, truly providing estate to plate with the very lowest food miles.
Attadale Wild Venison offers sausages and burgers made almost entirely from meat with very little added other than some flavourings - compare this to other venison products which often contain up to 50% bread and other additives. Gluten free is also available. Different flavours were tested until there was general agreement that people liked them, leading to repeat orders. Careful pricing ensured very good value for both wholesale and retail. To sell to cafes and restaurants, enough product had to be made and frozen to ensure a regular supply to cover the period when the closed season meant no deer could be culled, making it sustainable in 2023. There is no similar product available locally, and its very clear branding and provenance ensured that it was welcomed by local food outlets. Offered as wild venison, it is clearly defined as neither farmed nor imported.
Attadale Wild Venison provides a unique locally made product, offering very good value. It means cafes and restaurants can promote their own support for local food with exceptionally low food miles. “Estate to plate” is a neat summary of the proposition meaning they can use Attadale Wild Venison to enhance their own green credentials with only a few miles between where the deer lived to where the meat is sold. Repeat orders from such local outlets include the Carron Restaurant, the Waterside Café, The Kishorn Seafood Bar, and the Bealach Café; all of which are pleased to promote that they sell Attadale Wild Venison. Offering clearly labelled local wild venison enhances the authentic experience of both visitors to the gardens and those that stay in Attadale holiday cottages.
Attadale Wild Venison offers burgers and sausages made quickly and cleanly in an environmentally approved deer larder which is quality assured. Similarly, Thomas Watson has passed his Food handling qualifications. As a professional stalker he effectively supervises the entire process from the cull right through to the final creation of the products. By its very nature, culling the red deer is ensuring the improvement of the habitat and preventing further deterioration of the hillside.