The Gathered Game Wild Venison Salami range is an authentic traditionally aged product inspired by European style meats coupled with New Zealand’s remarkable wild game meat. The authentic aging process is a fine craftsmanship that takes time, expertise and dedication. Most venison products in New Zealand are cooked or hot smoked, but our dry aging process makes them a truly traditional salami.

Produced and sourced locally, all Gathered Game products use natural ingredients: wild venison meat mixed with herbs, spices and a touch of free range NZ pork fat. They are gluten free, dairy free and wild organic – no hormones, anti-biotics or artificial feed as the deer are not farmed.  Venison is a nutrient dense super meat, high in protein, rich in iron and low in fat.

Gathered Game was recently awarded Artisan producer of the year at the 2017 New Zealand Food Awards.  The products were also recognised with a Cuisine Artisan Award for innovative story behind the product. Each pack has a batch number that allows tracking through their website the exact details and location of the specific wild deer of which it was made. We use 100% wild organic Red Deer meat sourced from licensed sustainable sources, tested and processed in a MPI certified facility. 

 Meet the Producer - Chris Thorn

The Gathered Game Story from Gathered Game on Vimeo

Chris is an avid hunter and gatherer; whether it is from the sea or the top of the Southern Alps he’s climbed it, shot at it eaten it. For years Chris worked hard to turn his passion for hunting and curing wild venison meats into a business beginning with the creation of Venison Small Goods in 2014. After years of perfecting recipes and techniques it was time take his passion public and turn dreams into reality. He renamed Venison Small Goods into Gathered Game in 2015 and with the assistance of his wife, Sally, and brother, David, launched the unique range of Wild Venison Salami in 2016.

Gathered Game began in the South Island of New Zealand where there is no shortage of game to enjoy. 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. Gathered Game brings the best of both worlds together, wild New Zealand game and the art of preserving and dry aging organic meat.