Silver Fern Farms Herald New Age of Beef

Silver Fern Farms Herald New Age of Beef

A new consumer retail range of premium grass-fed beef cuts backed by a scientific eating quality ‘Master Grade’ arrives in New Zealand supermarkets today.

The Silver Fern Farms retail beef range is the first retail red meat range in New Zealand to be underpinned by the science-backed Silver Fern Farms Eating Quality System. The Silver Fern Farms Eating Quality System ensures the product meets the highest standards of taste, tenderness and juiciness. The range carries an Eating Quality (EQ) Master Grade on all packaging.

Silver Fern Farms Chief Executive Keith Cooper says the company has invested in consumer research to create the new premium range and the Eating Quality System.

“The only way we can earn more for our farmer shareholders and suppliers is by creating more value in the market. We are doing that by learning more about what consumers want, and by giving them a reason to trust our consistent quality products. Our retail beef range with the Silver Fern Farms EQ Master Grade is designed to do just that,” Mr Cooper says.

“We are positioning ourselves in this end of the market as the margins we retain from premium branded retail ranges are proving to be more resistant to market volatility than a commodity product and they spread our risk across a wider product mix.”

There are five cuts in the range; a Tenderloin Eye Fillet, Porterhouse steaks, Beef Medallions, Beef Prime-Cut Roast and Beef Stir-fry. The five cuts are aged for 21 days. They are selected from the best-tasting, leanest parts of the animal and then precisely trimmed to ensure no waste.

“We are bringing about opportunities off the back of our investment in a science-backed Eating Quality System because we have created value in the marketplace around eating quality.

“We have done it internationally with our ‘Premier Selection Reserve Beef’ food service range, which is also here in New Zealand, and now we’re using EQ in the retail market with this range.”

With beef consumption four times per capita greater than lamb, the retail beef segment is where the company expects strong growth. As it currently stands the New Zealand market is the company’s largest market for chilled beef cuts.

“It’s only on our shelves here today and we have already had interest in the range from international customers.”

Mr Cooper says farmers are given grading feedback from the Silver Fern Farms Eating Quality System that is based on consumer preferences. This work is part of Government’s Primary Growth Partnership and FarmIQ.

“The intent of our FarmIQ Primary Growth Partnership with Government is to create value for farmers by investing across the value chain so we bring them closer to consumers. The feedback farmers get from the Silver Fern Farms Eating Quality System on consumer preferences achieves that aim and this range attracts a premium from consumers for our co-operative.”

The range is launching today in supermarkets nationwide in Countdown, and in selected New World, and Pak n Save stores. It retails between $12.95 and $21.95 per pack.

An Eating Quality video to help consumers understand the EQ Master Grading process can be viewed on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwa9HJl-E1U&feature=youtu.be

The new television advert can be viewed online here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMO_J8spJak&feature=youtu.be

ENDS

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