Followers of the fortunes of Australia’s oldest cattle company have another reason to salivate with the crowning today of AACo’s Darling Downs Wagyu as the best branded beef product money can buy.
The back-to-back win at the RNA Branded Beef and Lamb competition comes days after Australian Agricultural Co managing director Jason Strong announced in Darwin a near $68 million profit for the business, largely attributed to feeding all the cattle it owns and taking a greater control of its supply chain process.
Today at the Brisbane Showgrounds it was a beaming AACo marketing manager Sabina Kindler who had the enjoyable task of talking about the end product – the flagship of AACo’s product suite that no doubt is helping in the company’s financial resurgence.
“The cattle in this program come from Headingly Station on the Barkly Tablelands (NT) before they are finished on grain at AACo’s Goonoo feedlot outside Comet in central Queensland,” Ms Kindler said.
“While the consistency is to be celebrated to win this competition two years in a row it’s the process of putting fullblood Wagyu bulls over composite Barkly females that is producing a unique flavour and texture profile.”
The “rich, juicy” Darling Downs Wagyu grilled 45 other entrants to claim the coveted John Kilroy Cha Cha Char Grand Champion Branded Beef of Show.
Chief judge Elaine Millar said the standout steak ticked all the right boxes and the high quality of entries proved Queensland was producing some of the world’s best beef.
“The Grand Champion AACo Darling Downs Wagyu had the right balance of elements - lasting juiciness, rich length on the palate, silky texture, succulent buttery biscuit flavours plus earthiness on the palate,” she said.
“The commentary and incredibly close scoring indicates that our Australian beef is escalating in quality each year and is the leader in excellence in the global beef market.”
Oakey Beef Exports general manager Pat Gleeson said the offering this year looked highly competitive.
“When you look at the beef displayed it is incredibly even,” he said. “It’s a real credit to the producers for the quality they’ve turned out. I certainly wouldn’t have liked to be one of the judges.”
The title of Australia’s best lamb was taken out by Sanger Australia’s Mr Lamb product, where lambs sourced from Victoria and South Australia are processed at Australian Lamb Co’s Colac plant.
Ms Millar said Mr Lamb featured layers of sweet, creamy and earthy flavours and met all expectations.
The Branded Beef and Lamb Competition is regarded as the most coveted and comprehensive of its kind, with entries up 33 per cent over the past two years.
This year’s expert judges, including award-winning restaurateurs Cameron Matthews of The Long Apron Restaurant, David Pugh of Restaurant Two and Jake Nicolson of Blackbird, tasted their way through 67 of the nation’s finest beef and lamb products.
MAJOR AWARD WINNERS:
THE JOHN KILROY CHA CHA CHAR GRAND CHAMPION BRANDED BEEF OF SHOW (Australia’s best steak) - Australian Agricultural Company - Class 4 Cat. No. 32 - Darling Downs Wagyu
CHAMPION MSA GRADED BRANDED BEEF OF SHOW
NH Foods Australia – Class 2 Cat. No 26 – Manning Valley Naturally
CHAMPION BRANDED LAMB OF SHOW (Australia’s Best Lamb)
Sanger Australia - Class 7 Cat. No. 59 – Mr Lamb
BEEF AWARD WINNERS
Class 1 - Lendlease Grain Fed Class
Gold: NH Foods Australia for its Oakey Angus Reserve
Silver: Stanbroke for its Diamantina
Bronze: Teys Australia Pty Ltd for its Riverine Premium Beef
Class 2 - Lendlease Grass Fed Class
Gold: NH Foods Australia for its Manning Valley Naturally
Silver: Manildra Meat Company for its Manildra Natural Beef – Australian Grass Fed
Bronze: Bindaree Beef for its Fernhill Road
Class 3 - Wagyu Class AUS-MEAT Marble Score 1 to 5
Gold: Andrews Meat Industries for its Tajima Crossbred Wagyu
Silver: Stanbroke for its Diamantina
Bronze: NH Foods Australia for its Oakey Premium Wagyu
Class 4 - Wagyu Class AUS-MEAT Marble Score 6+
Gold: Australian Agricultural Company for its Darling Downs Wagyu
Silver: Stockyard Pty Ltd for its Stockyard Black
Bronze: Stanbroke for its Diamantina
Class 5 - Open Class
Gold: JBS Australia for its JBS Pinnacle
Silver: Bindaree Beef for its Mayfield
Bronze: JBS Australia for its JBS Royal
LAMB AWARD WINNERS
Class 6 - Meat & Livestock Australia Branded Lamb Class 20kg or less
Gold: Country Fresh Nationwide for its Thomas Foods Signature
Silver: Melrose Wholesale Meats for its Tasmanian Royal Lamb
Bronze: Country Fresh Nationwide for its Thomas Farms
Class 7 - Branded Lamb Class more than 20kg
Gold: Sanger Australia for its Mr Lamb
Silver: Australian Wholesale Meats Qld for its Sovereign Lamb
Bronze: Country Fresh Nationwide for its Thomas Foods SUPREME MSA