Let’s Boost Wild Venison Sales
Are you a wild venison producer looking to expand your reach and connect with local customers?
Or are you a prospective venison producer – keen to set up your own food business selling your wild venison to your local community?
Or are you passionate about sourcing sustainable, ethical meat?
If you’re any of the above, then we’re thrilled to invite you to join the Wild Venison Network, a new partnership between the British Deer Society (BDS) and the Open Food Network UK (OFN). This initiative aims to make it easier for consumers to access high-quality, sustainable wild venison, while supporting responsible deer management and local producers.
Interested in joining the network or wanting to find out more? You can sign up as a supplier here, or read on for more information.
The Wild Venison Network is provided by the Open Food Network UK and managed in close partnership with the British Deer Society.
Looking to buy local wild venison?
Keen to sell your venison online?
Why Choose Wild Venison?
In parts of the UK, some deer species have grown out of balance with their environment, leading to challenges for both ecosystems and communities — and even for the deer themselves. When deer populations exceed the capacity of their habitat, it can result in overbrowsing, which hinders woodland regeneration, reduces biodiversity, and disrupts broader environmental goals. In certain areas, high deer numbers can also cause substantial crop damage, affecting farmers’ livelihoods, increase the risk of deer-vehicle collisions, and put pressure on deer welfare through increased competition for food and the spread of disease.
Sustainable deer management — carried out by highly trained, ethically conscious, and experienced deer stalkers — plays a vital role in restoring balance. Effective deer management supports healthier ecosystems, reduces conflict with local communities, and promotes the overall health and welfare of deer populations.
Wild venison is a natural and highly nutritious by-product of this essential conservation and wildlife management practice. Sourced from wild populations managed with humane and responsible methods, venison is widely regarded as one of the most ethical and sustainable sources of meat in the UK. Compared to traditionally farmed beef and lamb, wild venison has a significantly lower carbon footprint — a benefit that’s further enhanced when it’s sourced locally.
Choosing wild venison means supporting sustainable land and wildlife management while enjoying a delicious, healthy, and environmentally friendly source of protein.
What is the Wild Venison Network?
Through the Wild Venison Network, we aim to increase the availability and accessibility of wild venison to consumers by supporting deer stalkers and related suppliers to sell their venison to their local communities online via the Open Food Network platform. This is achieved by providing enterprise advice and technical support to small, local producers and through ongoing promotion of the Wild Venison Network across multiple marketing channels.
The OFN Platform
The OFN is a not-for-profit initiative and charges no setup fee for those wishing to sell their wild venison locally online. Sellers only provide a contribution to support the costs of Open Food Network when they trade over £500 per month through the platform. This contribution is based on a low percentage of sales (usually 2.4% or less).
The British Deer Society (BDS)
The BDS is a UK-wide charity dedicated to educating and inspiring people about wild deer. Through education and research, we raise awareness of wild deer and the challenges surrounding their management. We provide training to ensure deer are managed humanely, responsibly, and to the highest standards. Our goal is to ensure that wild deer in the UK are respected and valued while being kept at sustainable levels where they can coexist with healthy ecosystems, benefit biodiversity, and contribute to the wider environment.
How can I support the BDS?
Customers
You can support the work of the BDS while you shop online for wild venison with The Open Food Network. All you need to do is add a ‘BDS donation’ item into your shopping basket from a participating wild venison seller and proceed to complete your order!
Sellers
If you’re a local wild venison seller you can support the work of the BDS by offering your customers on the Open Food Network Platform the opportunity to donate to our charity during the shopping and check-out process.
Alternatively, you can become a member of the BDS or connect with our team to explore other ways of supporting our work.