U.S. venison demand

Press, 15 December 1983, Page 32

U.S. venison demand

The Christchurch exporter and businessman, Mr James Maddren, won his first order for venison from the exclusive Club 21 restaurant, New York, 30 years ago. Today, he is the co-ordi-nator of recipes, and adviser to some of the world’s great restaurants, hotels, and leading chefs on how to prepare and cook venison. Mr Maddren is head of a family business, Maddren Bros, Ltd, founded in 1877 as a rope and twine making firm, but which now is one of the biggest exporters of venison in New Zealand. Mr Maddren says venison is quite different from all other meats. It is low in fat and therefore must be cooked fairly rapidly, and is better first marinated. His favourite marinade is of red wine, oil, herbs, and juniper berries which brings out the flavour but does not smother the meat’s distinctive taste. Many people are very cholesterol and calorie conscious and venison is ideal for them. A 27-month-old deer has 12 per cent of fat compared to 30 to 40 per cent in mutton, and 20.5 per cent protein as against mutton’s 14 per cent. It also has up to 50 per cent more protein

than bull beef, the leanest of all the beef meats. In 1952 Mr Maddren went to England and Europe for his upholstery supply and wool export business, and on the way home visited the new Zealand Trade Commissioner in New York where he heard of a Brigadier Malcolm Beyer — a former Marine — who had visited New Zealand and who wanted to import whole deer carcases, including the hair, head, and antlers. The famous Club 21 restaurant wanted to display the carcases and then hold a special “game” evening for their clients. In Easter, 1953, 12 deer were shot, wrapped in cheese-cloth and scrim, frozen, and exported whole including the head and antlers. The “game” evening was a great success and an order came for 1000 similar carcases, which were duly sent through Club 21’s distributing arm, Iron Gate Products, Inc. Little was known then about wild deer meat, but because of the damage caused by bullets, it was decided to process the animals into joints and carton them. Today, the packing of venison is done under con-

tract at Te Anau and by East Coast Venison, of Hastings. The elder son, Mr Ross Maddren, now manages an Australian office set up in 1978 to handle the distribution of venison, and exports from Australia. Only farmed deer, not wild deer, is sent and therefore all Australian health and agri- I culture regulations are complied with. Mr Ross Maddren also demonstrates at times how to prepare and cook venison, and finds that, as it is still a relatively new product, constant promotion is ' needed to keep the Australians’ attention. In the case of restaurants everything must be done to keep the product on the menu in some form. That is why home recipe pamphlets are prepared and advice given to restaurants and hotels. Mr Ross Maddren says the future is good for venison sales to Australia, America, Britain, and Europe. but only if the product is promoted as an “up-mar-ket” gourmet item, and people are taught the special characteristics of ; venison and how it should be prepared and cooked, he says.