Local sourcing of wild ingredients – the pros and cons

Locally sourced

Local sourcing that involves a specific animal or plant that is regionally exclusive, lower in food miles or a ‘pest’ species can be particularly interesting, both from a marketing and a sustainability point of view. Typically, it is associated with ‘feral’ versus ‘farmed’ ingredients.

For example, in New Zealand, there are pet foods based on meat from possums, which have been classified as a pest with a national culling programme in place. Possums are available throughout the country and so are low in food miles. They damage the environment and consume native bird eggs, so their cull is preserving the local, fragile ecosystem.

Venison is another local source of meat. Deer can quickly form large populations and are culled to prevent land and vegetation damage, preserving balance in the ecosystem. Similarly, in Australia, kangaroo culls provide a local meat source.

Nutritional consistency

Culled animals represent all age groups, which has a direct effect on the nutrient profile of their meat, due to level of maturity. Therefore it is important to analyse nutrient levels from each batch in order to formulate accurately. This is in stark contrast with using, say, chickens sourced from commercial broiler farms, which will have similar carcass composition. If using rendered or dried ingredients from local species, then appropriate blending will give a more consistent product, reducing the need for multiple laboratory testing.

Sustainability and sourcing

When using local wild or feral raw materials, the following questions must be addressed. Firstly, is it free of contaminants? Non-farmed raw materials are more likely to be exposed to disease-causing pathogens, soil and water contaminants (such as mycotoxins, heavy metals and toxic algae). Second, are there any potential negatives regarding animal welfare or environmental issues? Third, can the material be readily obtained all year round? Where annual culls of certain animals or harvesting plants are performed, it is important to ensure adequate supply and in a form that can be stored (for example, dried, rendered, frozen) prior to use.

Finally, even with local sourcing, transport issues need to be considered. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused problems in obtaining feed materials even locally (because of regional lockdowns), so always check supply or an alternative option. Advanced planning and predicting manufacturing requirements are essential to keep production going.

Marketing opportunities

There are many marketing opportunities when using local ingredients, including novel ingredient claims and environmental benefits. However, sourcing, quality control and variability must be addressed during development, especially where nutritional standards are applied for access to market.