Gathered Game brings the best of both worlds together, wild New Zealand game and the art of preserving and dry aging organic meat. With the head office based in Te Anau, wild deer gathered from Fiordland and processed in Lumsden, Gathered Game is proud to be a Southland based business.
Q: What is the brand story?
A: Chris Thorn founded Gathered Game in 2015 as the fusion of his two favourite things – hunting, and curing the meat he procured. After years of perfecting recipes and techniques it was time to take his passion public and Gathered Game launched a unique range of Wild Venison Salami.
Q: What is the current product range and variants and what makes these products stand out in the market?
A: Gathered Game salamis are handcrafted fermented sausage cured with herbs and spices – all aged for up to 12 weeks to create a delicious old-fashioned style salami with New Zealand’s remarkable wild game. All products are gluten and dairy free. While almost all of New Zealand’s venison smallgoods are cooked or hot smoked to produce larger quantities, Gathered Game Salamis are not heat treated.
Q: What is innovative or unique about the product?
A: Gathered Game strives to produce an authentic, traditionally aged product inspired by the European style cured meats coupled with New Zealand’s remarkable wild game by blending original craft with a wild, organic, nutrient-rich food source.
Q: Who is the consumer and what benefit does the product bring them?
A: The consumer is anyone looking to enjoy what are centuries-old techniques in Europe, but relatively new in New Zealand. Gathered Game salamis appeal to people looking for leaner meat while retaining a full bodied flavour, and consumers looking for an alternative to heat treated, mass produced products.
Q: What consumer trend does the product support?
A: The consumer trend towards provenance is important for Gathered Game. Each salami comes with a number, and consumers can enter that number on the Gathered Game website and learn where in Fiordland the deer was shot, and by whom. Handcrafted artisanal products are also becoming increasingly popular. All products are gluten and dairy free, as well as organic.
For more information please call +64 021 024 16855 or email info@gatheredgame.co.nz
