JAHAMA Highland Venison
The Venison Shop is located in Ben Nevis Industrial Estate in Fort William. The shop opening hours are Thursday 12noon until 3pm, Friday 10am-3pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. Local delivery can be arranged out with shop hours. Contact the estate office team on 01397 712 111 or send an email to highland@jahamaestates.com. Payment is by card only, and please bring your own reusable bag.
The Story so far…
Since the inception of JAHAMA Venison, the goal has been to reach as many people as possible and make venison a regular appearance in everyone’s weekly meal plans. JAHAMA strive to promote a more circular economy from just the Deer Management measures and show consumers the positives from eating locally sourced venison. Opening the shop right in the middle of the pandemic with tight restrictions, was an opportunity to see it work in the toughest conditions and it has only gone from strength to strength. The team are constantly thinking of new ways to demystify venison and make it accessible to everyone. Regular informative posts on social media help tell the story of JAHAMA Venison and why it is a sustainable and ethical choice.
The stalking team have one of the best offices in Scotland, from the Grey Corries in Mamore, through to the equally impressive mountain range on Killiechonate and finishing in the Monadhliaths in Glenshero. The team are involved in the whole process from gralloching the deer on the hill to butchering the carcase in the estate larders. It’s a real team effort with the whole estate team involved helping package and label the venison which is then sold locally through the ‘Wee Green Hut’ shop. Keeping the whole process within the team reduces the need for a butcher to travel to the estate larders, thereby reducing the carbon footprint further. All venison products are frozen so that there is a supply of venison available all year round, with no waste as a result. The ‘Wee Green Hut’ is located in Fort William and open three days a week.
Working collaboratively is at the forefront of JAHAMA, and this small business now supply a number of local businesses with venison and the extremely popular Heather Honey. Good relationships have been formed with local restaurants and small shops, such as Stronaba Farm Shop, Spean Bridge and the Handy Hub, Kinlochleven, which is a local village shop. The Heather Honey flies off the shelves and can be found in Kilted Camel and within Visit Scotland Tourist Information, both located on Fort William’s high street. The Heather Honey can also be found in Laggan Coffee Bothy, near Newtonmore. The venison burgers are available at Ardgour Ales, which is a short ferry ride from Corran, by Fort William. Also located in Fort William, award winning chef Andy Turnbull of The Stables, regularly features JAHAMA loin and handmade burgers using venison mince.
Supporting local is important at JAHAMA and one of the ways the team do this is by attending local markets. The most popular is organised by the owners of Glen Spean Brewery. The Glen Spean Markets take place at the Ben Nevis Auction Mart on the second Saturday of the month. These are hugely popular with locals and visitors to the area. Attending markets provides an excellent opportunity to meet customers in a different environment, alongside producers who have a likeminded approach to promoting small businesses. The JAHAMA team have found attending the markets have increased visibility of the brand, provided numerous opportunities to work collaboratively and keeps JAHAMA Highland Venison at the forefront of people’s mind.
The Future for JAHAMA
Just recently the team have expanded the offerings of the ‘Wee Green Hut’ by selling Home Reared Estate Lamb alongside the venison. The Estate’s North Country Cheviot lamb is reared on the farm at Inverlair, a slower growing, and hardier, breed that do well on the rough hill grazing that the estate has to offer, they produce a higher value and better-quality lamb. Offering another range of meat has opened up opportunities for the estate shop and means a wider audience can be reached.
Recent investment and the completion of the refurbished larder at Killiechonate marks a positive new chapter in JAHAMA Highland Venison. Plans are well underway for 2025 to develop the brand with further collaborations and growth.
Blue Light Card Scheme - We are delighted to be a part of the Blue light card scheme which offers all card holders a 10% discount in our shop.
Catering & Retail - If you would like to sell our Venison products in your establishment, please contact Catriona on catriona.jackson@jahamaestates.com
Ingredients & Allergens: This information is included on our product labels, but customers are welcome to contact us for further information or to ask any specific questions.
Venison Recipes -Looking for some inspiration? Check out our Venison Recipe Leaflet here: Recipe
