Jul 31, 2026
Fresh from a three-week programme of market activity in the United States, the DINZ team has returned from New York where the centrepiece was the Summer Fancy Food Show, North America's largest specialty food trade event. With thousands of exhibitors and buyers from across the retail sector, the show is an important part of our North American Retail Accelerator (NARA) programme and provides valuable insight into emerging consumer trends.
One of the strongest themes this year was protein. High-protein claims were everywhere—not just on meat products, but across dairy, snacks, convenience foods and even ice cream. Another major talking point was the growing use of appetite-suppressing weight loss medications and how they may influence consumer eating habits, with many brands focusing on nutrient-dense foods that deliver more nutrition in smaller portions.
“Health and wellness messaging was impossible to miss, with terms such as ‘low processing’, ‘low sugar’ and ‘naturally sweetened’ featuring heavily across the exhibition floor,” says DINZ Market Activation Manager Virginia Connell. "This trend is encouraging for New Zealand farmed venison. Our low-fat, high-protein, nutrient-rich story continues to resonate strongly. Demand is strong, only limited by current supply, to the point I was being regularly questioned about our latest herd rebuild forecasts.”
Unlike previous market visits, DINZ chose not to attend the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago this year, instead concentrating efforts on the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. While the NRA event is heavily focused on foodservice, Fancy Food provides stronger access to retail buyers and specialty food channels. In a cost-conscious market environment, DINZ saw greater potential in focusing resources on the retail sector, where interest in premium, differentiated proteins continues to grow.
“There was a good level of awareness of venison among many attendees, particularly visitors from hunting states, but [the Summer Fancy Food Show] gave us a valuable opportunity to demonstrate how New Zealand farmed venison is different. Through tastings and conversations, we were able to showcase the quality of our farmed venison and highlight alternative cuts such as brisket and leg cuts, which challenged perceptions and showed that every cut can deliver an exceptional eating experience.”
On the tools
When unforeseen personal circumstances forced Chef Shannon Campbell to return to Germany just as Fancy Foods was kicking off, Connell stepped seamlessly into the cooking role. Drawing on years of experience supporting both Chef Shannon and Chef Graham Brown at events and in kitchens both in NZ and internationally, she took to the hotplate with her trademark professionalism and confidence. According to Connell, the transition was “pretty straightforward” thanks to the immense amount of prep work that Shannon had done ahead of the show kicking off.
“Honestly, a lot of the credit goes to Shannon for doing all the prep work and making it as easy as possible for me to step in. Over the years, I've spent countless hours alongside Shannon and Brownie at events, in kitchens and on the road, and they're both incredibly generous with their knowledge. Their attention to detail is second to none, and they're always teaching, whether they realise it or not.
“At the end of the day, sometimes you've got to get on and do the job. We weren't going to pull out of the show because plans changed. That's not how DINZ operates. We're a small team and everyone mucks in, wears a few different hats, and just does what's needed."
As NARA enters its final year, the critical question is not simply what comes next for New Zealand venison in US retail, but what comes next for New Zealand venison in the minds of North American consumers. Retail remains an important pathway to growth, but long-term success will depend on building broader awareness and understanding of farmed venison's unique value proposition. That means continuing to tell the story of New Zealand venison's exceptional nutritional profile, while ensuring those claims are supported by transparent, credible and independently verifiable research.
What this next phase looks like is still taking shape, and there are already some promising opportunities emerging. With time remaining in the NARA programme, we have an opportunity to start asking these bigger questions now: how do we position NZ farmed venison as the premium protein in this revolutionary consumer dynamic? The momentum built through NARA has created a strong foundation, and the decisions we make today will help ensure that momentum continues well beyond the programme itself.
