Service Foods has been processing poultry and duck to specialty portion cuts since the acquisition of Gameford Lodge. The combined processing business has expanded as the foodservice industry has become more involved, with more and more restaurants and cafés have also started to place a duck line on the menu.
Service Foods process duck to special portions on a daily basis. Fresh ducks are farmed direct from Cambridge to the Service Foods poultry plant and delivered straight to plate with minimum handling. There has also been a considerable shift in the use of free range, and Service Foods have noticed a steady decline in the demand for barn-raised poultry, offset by higher value free range. Producers have struggled to keep up with supply to satisfy the demand for free-range.
Placing free range on a menu opens up a new category of clientele, and allows the ability to increase profit margin by plate. Service Foods believe that barn-raised demand will reduce to nil over the next five years.
