NZ grass-fed beef on the menu for chefs in Japan and Korea

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22 June 2012

New Zealand grass-fed beef on the menu for chefs in Japan and Korea

Award winning Christchurch chef Darren Wright has been in Korea and Japan promoting New Zealand grass-fed beef to a lineup of influential chefs and media.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Market Manager Japan/Korea, John Hundleby says Chef Wright cooked a range of beef dishes at a number of events. His offerings included beef ravioli made from short-ribs, beef tortellini and tenderloin steaks.

“Since Korean and Japanese people are far more familiar with the cooking qualities of grain-fed beef which is more common in the two markets, a highlight at these events is always the demonstration of how to cook a good grass-fed beef steak.”

Japan and Korea are important markets for New Zealand beef farmers. Japan is New Zealand’s number two beef export market by value, worth NZ$230.7million (season ending 30 September 2011)and Korea is New Zealand’s number three export beef market by value, worth $203.1 million (season ending 30 September 2011).

“Beef + Lamb New Zealand works on behalf of farmers in these markets to introduce consumers to New Zealand grass-fed beef and then to develop a preference for it,” Hundleby says.

“Working with chefs and encouraging them to use our product is an important part of getting more Japanese and Korean people to eat New Zealand beef. Influential media also have a valuable role to play in highlighting the health benefits of grass-fed beef that make it lower in fat and higher in Omega-3s than grain-fed beef.”

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