Thanks to Alan and the team at Premium Game for their presentation to Slow Food members at the Marlborough Farmers' Market on Sunday. It was a very valuable insight into their business, philosophies and products.
The visit to Premium Game's processing facility on Tuesday backed up the talk with a first-hand look at the processing line in action. Working with licensed hunters, Premium Game processes wild game meats in export licensed facilities with oversight from MAF Veterinary Inspectors. Shot animals are delivered to Premium Game complete with comprehensive information on the location of the animal and with key organs still in place to enable the health status of the animal to be determined by the MAF vet. On the visit we saw wild goats, deer and pigs being processed - rabbits, hare, tahr and wallaby are also processed.
Carcasses are kept in refrigerated storage for ageing and then butchered into different cuts 'to order' - supplying local consumers at the Farmers' Market, but mainly to a large (and growing) list of restaurants up and down New Zealand. Premium Game also makes a range of small-goods including salamis, and will even make up sausages to a consumer's own recipe or dietary requirements (eg gluten free).
The only such facility in New Zealand, this is a local business providing some wonderful, fresh, wild game (with recipes to assist, if needed).
Premium Game: Ph 03 577 8200, http://www.game-meats.co.nz/, info@game-meats.co.nz
