top of page

John Sadler on Future Value for Venison - Canterbury West Coast Deer Farmers Association Field Day, April 2026

  • 4 days ago
  • 3 min read

In April, John Sadler spoke at the Canterbury West Coast Deer Farmers Association Field Day about where the future value for venison is heading - and what buyers are increasingly looking for from farming systems, product quality, and environmental credibility.



John reflected on Mountain River’s history, founded more than 30 years ago by Doug Hood, with a long-standing philosophy that farmers should stay connected to the marketing of their product. From the beginning, Mountain River focused on building a value chain linking farm, processor, and market together - from farm through to the chef’s plate.


That thinking continues to shape the business today.


Mountain River now processes around 15% of New Zealand farmed venison, with a focus on premium niche markets rather than volume alone. As John explained, value is not only about the meat itself, but also about whole-animal utilisation - including skins, co-products, bones, and blood.


The talk explored changing market dynamics across Europe, Sweden, the United States, and China.


In Europe, shipping times have increased from around four weeks to closer to eight weeks. This has compressed traditional chilled venison production windows and created pressure around early-season processing. One response has been the development of frozen venison programmes, creating greater flexibility for farmers while also supporting lower-emission sea freight logistics and a stronger environmental story for chefs and consumers.


An important point was that this approach allows farmers to finish deer when it best suits their farming system, rather than forcing production into narrow spring processing windows.


John also spoke about the United States market, where Mountain River continues to support the Cervena programme and premium foodservice positioning. Consistency, environmental responsibility, quality standards, and full supply chain commitment are increasingly valued by chefs and consumers alike.

The discussion then turned to the Mountain River Future Value work already underway.


This includes participation in the NARA Project alongside DINZ, MPI, and other exporters, focused on growing both volume and value for venison in US retail markets.


John also outlined Mountain River’s Regenerative Pilot, which began before NARA through an existing relationship with premium US customer Force of Nature. Rather than simply promoting claims, the pilot is testing how verified regenerative farming outcomes can support differentiated premium retail positioning.




Several farms are now through Year 2 of the programme and have achieved regenerative outcomes, allowing those claims to begin being credibly supported.




A major theme throughout the talk was that climate and environmental credentials are increasingly becoming future value drivers.


Consumers are placing growing importance on how food is produced - and brands aligned with those values are already achieving stronger premium positioning internationally.


John also discussed the Healthier Deerscapes partnership with Lincoln University, which is exploring whether more diverse pasture systems can improve both animal productivity and the nutritional value of venison for human health outcomes.



The trial compares conventional ryegrass and clover systems against more functionally diverse plant mixes, with ongoing monitoring of animal performance, behaviour, and nutritional outcomes.


If those links can be demonstrated, it has the potential to help shape future deer farming systems while also strengthening the story New Zealand venison can take to market.


A consistent message throughout the presentation was clear:


Future value increasingly comes from understanding what matters to the consumer - and building farming systems that can credibly support that story.


Find Out More:


Back to Community Updates
Back to Community Updates
bottom of page