Japanese suppliers landed in Sydney this week to introduce authentic Japanese wagyu to Australian wholesalers and restaurateurs.
The famed Japanese meat, dubbed the “Rolls Royce of beef” only recently entered the Australian market following a decision by the Australian government last year to allow the import of Japanese beef products.
Retailing at around $500 per kilo, authentic Japanese wagyu is famous for it’s characteristic marbling which forms a large component of the quality grading system. The beef is graded on a number of other elements including the colour and shine of the meat and the firmness and texture.
The breeds of cattle that produce wagyu include the Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn and Japanese Polled. Wagyu requires the cattle to be born and raised domestically in Japan. The cattle are reared by farming families in zen like fashion with the utmost care.
Wagyu has one of the most sophisticated traceability systems in the meat industry, with a ten digit number identifying each cow throughout the whole cycle.
The Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council hopes to work alongside Australian farmers to grow the existing market and sit along side each other offering differences in price and flavour profile for customers to experience.
