Highlands firm Ardgay Game has secured the final contract, worth more than £1.5 million for processing deer culled by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS).
Ardgay, based in Bonar Bridge, joins Dundee firm Highland Game as an FLS partner.
Highland Game processes the deer carcasses from nine other areas around Scotland.
Ardgay is run by chief executive Ruaridh Waugh, whose parents, Les and Lesley Waugh, founded the business more than 40 years ago.
£1m recently invested in expanding Ardgay Game’s processing capacity
The company recently completed a £1m infrastructure investment which paved the way for a 37% increase in deer processing capacity.
Its new FLS contract is worth nearly £306,000 annually over five years starting from April 2025.
Ardgay plans to create two full-time and nine seasonal jobs.
Ruaridh Waugh said: “This partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland marks an exciting new chapter for Ardgay Game.
“We’re honoured to work alongside Highland Game, a long-standing leader in the venison industry, as we both champion the growth of sustainable, high-quality Scottish venison.”
He added: “With growing consumer awareness around health, sustainability and low-carbon food choices, wild Scottish venison is perfectly positioned to meet these trends.
“We look forward to collaborating across the industry to realise its full potential and help put Scottish venison at the forefront of sustainable eating.”
Forestry Land Scotland highlights cost benefits of having north partner
FLS said having a partner in the Highlands would help keep transportation and other costs as low as possible, while also reducing carbon emissions.
Anton Watson, the quango’s head of wildlife management, added: “Deer management is fundamentally important for our woodland creation and habitat conservation work.
“An important aspect of that is having the necessary, behind-the-scenes infrastructure in place to help us get Scottish venison to market and on to people’s plates.
“Ardgay Game is excellently placed to work with us in the north of Scotland.”
Boosted by higher levels of uptake in sectors including schools, hospitals, the armed services and others, Highland Game has grown staff numbers by 30% over the past five years to meet the growing demand for venison.
Highland Game managing director Christian Nissen said greater collaboration in supply and customer partnerships were key to driving growth in the Scottish venison industry.
Mr Nissen added: “Ardgay Game’s long-term commitment to sustainability, quality and operational efficiencies are geared towards better serving the marketplace.
“We very much welcome them to the fold.
Read more: Why this former Highland shooting estate is transforming into a future wildlife haven
“Scotland has an opportunity to tap into a fantastic natural resource and, through providing a top quality product that is the basis for market-leading, convenient and low-carbon meal solutions, help to realise the full potential that venison offers.
“With sustainable investment to drive greater efficiencies and more of the highly skilled staff needed to drive innovation, there are great commercial opportunities to be seized.”
Conversation