Exotic meat sales growth in pubs

Bestway Batleys Foodservice has seen a ‘marked increase in demand’ for meats including zebra steaks, kangaroo fillet steaks and rumps, crocodile steaks and exotic burgers such as wild boar & apple; zebra & apple; bison & onion; and kangaroo & onion.

Kangaroo and crocodile are the best selling of the exotic meats and each of Bestway Batleys 17 foodservice depots has an in-house butcher to offer bespoke advice on the meats.

"Offering unusual meats like these certainly creates a point of difference and adds an element of novelty to any menu or specials board," said operations director David Gilroy. "They are also naturally low in fat so will appeal to health conscious consumers. It’s important for pubs to keep their offering fresh and interesting and these exotic lines fit the bill perfectly. They are a great talking point for customers and add a fun element to the menu."

Prices range from £5.49 a kg for the exotic burger range to £9.99 a kg for diced wild boar and bison steaks and £22.99 a kg for crocodile steaks. Gilroy estimates that pubs should make around 80% GP from selling the lines as part of a full meal.

Privately owned pub the Squire & Horse in Bury Hill, West Sussex, often lists exotic meat on its menu, such as kangaroo steaks in celebration of Australia Day. A springbok Wellington was recently on the menu and sold well. "They are more expensive to buy in and getting hold of them can sometimes be difficult but we can sell them for more," said Charlotte Kent, who works front of house. "We normally put them on in winter as more of a hearty meal."

Bestway Batleys is launching its delivered food and drink offering to the foodservice market from 1 September through 17 depots across the UK.