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Dry? Bland? Foodies seem to be giving the 'traditional' turkey a miss over the past few years, favouring instead the likes of good old-fashioned goose, duck, beef or even a top-quality chicken.
According to Mintel, sales of turkey have been slipping for years, with sales of 136 million tonnes in 2003 falling to an estimated 124 million last year. In cash terms, spending is down about 10 per cent over the same period after inflation, to £136m a year.
But perhaps we shouldn't be too quick to blame the bird. According to Compassion in World Farming, around 90 per cent of turkeys are kept in intensive sheds, up to 25,000 birds a time, with heavy use of lighting to keep them feeding almost round the clock. Fast-growing species are used. There's little stimulation. They eat, get bored, get excessively large upper bodies, get killed. No wonder if the meat from these birds is not up to the mark on taste and sales are falling.
On the plus side however, sales of RSPCA Freedom Food turkeys are rising. To comply with the standard they are given twice the space, less constant lighting and more stimulation such as straw bales, perches and lengths of rope. They cost more, as do the turkeys from Copas and Kelly Bronze - which are raised to very high welfare standards. Worth the extra? the verdict seems to be 'yes'. Animal welfare matters to a growing number of consumers, appalled at 'factory' style farming - and there is a strong argument that the meat tastes better too.
Encourage your customers to buy better birds this Christmas and make the most of every mouthful - and/or go with the trend and offer some great alternatives, particularly suitable for smaller households.
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