THE Australian Agricultural Company’s Darling Downs Wagyu has been named the Champion Wagyu beef in Australia at the Sydney Royal Spring Fine Food Show.
Darling Downs Wagyu was awarded the overall 2014 Champion Wagyu/Other Breeds Beef award at the show, one of the premier fine food shows in the country.
It is the third win in a row for Darling Downs Wagyu, which won gold medals at both the Brisbane and Melbourne Fine Food Awards.
Darling Downs Wagyu comes from AACo’s crossbred Wagyu program with a marble score 3+ and is fed for up to 300 days on grain at Aronui Feedlot on Queensland’s Darling Downs.
Darling Downs Wagyu also won a gold in the Wagyu category, with AACo’s Master Kobe full-blood Wagyu winning silver.
AACo’s new 1824 Gold beef won a bronze medal in the Grainfed Striploin category in only its second competition entry. 1824 Gold is an MSA- graded 70-day grain-fed AACo beef brand.
AACo managing director Jason Strong said the win confirmed the premium status of AACo’s beef brands.
“Darling Downs Wagyu is tremendous beef and this award from one of the most prestigious fine food shows in Australia is a great honour,” he said.
“Three wins in a row at Australia’s leading fine food shows is a recognition of the hard work we do on our properties to produce the finest quality Australian beef.”
AACo is Australia’s largest integrated beef and cattle producer and the oldest continuously operating company in Australia. The company runs the world’s largest breeding herd of Wagyu cattle which includes the famous Westholme Wagyu, some of the most elite genetics ever to leave Japan.
The Sydney Royal Fine Food Show is held by the Royal Agricultural Society to recognise excellence in premium fine food producers.