JAPANESE WAGYU POISED FOR AUSTRALIAN PLATES

Japanese Wagyu, dubbed the “Rolls Royce of beef”, has entered Australia to the delight of many restauranteurs across the country. Following the decision by the Australian government to allow import of Japanese Wagyu in June, the beef is now available to those wishing to experience the revered ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ texture it is famous for.

Australia is now being considered a top growth market with a contingent of Japanese Wagyu suppliers landing in Sydney today – January 16 – to meet with 150 chefs, restauranteurs and wholesalers, hosted by the Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council. The event is being presented by celebrity chef, writer and television presenter Adam Liaw who is also an official ‘Goodwill Ambassador of Japanese Cuisine’.

Retailing at around $500 per kilo, authentic Japanese Wagyu is famous for its characteristic marbling which forms a large component of the grading system designed to evaluate the quality.

The grading system has to meet the standards set by the Japan Meat Grading Association, which is the only organisation authorised by the Japanese government. Grading is divided into two main categories of yield grade and meat quality grade.

Following centuries of study and trial, cattle are reared by Japanese farming families in a zen-like fashion with the utmost care being taken for the care and wellbeing of the animal. The breeds of cattle that produce Wagyu include “Japanese Black”, “Japanese Brown”, “Japanese Shorthorn”, and “Japanese Polled” as well as the crossbreeds of these four.

Wagyu requires the cattle to be born and raised domestically in Japan and has one of the most sophisticated traceability systems in the meat industry. A ten-digit number identifies each cow, from the moment they are born throughout its life to the shelf, giving reassurance it’s the real deal.

The Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council hopes to work alongside Australian farmers to grow, and complement, the existing market for wagyu. With differences in price, flavour profile and cattle DNA structure, Japanese and Australian wagyu will sit side-by-side, offering diners the opportunity to experiment with, and experience, wagyu from all over the world.

For more information or to secure a last minute spot at today’s event visit www.wagyuevent.com.au .

Contact: Catherine Slogrove 0466 669 260