The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Estate to launch ‘ethical’ venison brand
Lochaber-based Jahama Highland Estates (JHE) has announced it will launch a new “ethical” venison brand next month.
The company is part of metals entrepreneur Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance group, which owns Fort William aluminium smelter. It plans to sell meat from deer on the 114,000 acre estate it bought with the plant in 2016.
Yesterday, a spokesman for JHE said: “After successfully trialling our estate venison burgers and sausages at the Lochaber smelter’s 90th anniversary celebration last December, we have since received many requests to carry on with production, and make our venison available to buy for GFG staff and the general public. We intend to make processed products and selected cuts available to buy direct at accessible prices.”
Ahead of the launch, the firm is running a ballot offering Lochaber residents the change to stalk deer on the estate at a discounted rate.
JHE chief operating officer Julia Stoddart said: “Sustainability is the driving force of Jahama and GFG Alliance more widely.
“As a wild animal that must be actively managed for environmental and welfare reasons, venison is a truly sustainable meat.
“We want to provide sporting opportunities that were previously inaccessible to many people as well as making this healthy and nutritious native meat available to a wider market.”