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Four New Zealand meat processing companies have won medals at the prestigious World Steak Challenge.
New Zealand meat companies have taken gold medals at the prestigious World Steak Challenge, an event contested by the world’s 25 top steak producing countries.
ANZCO Foods, a Japanese-owned company with its corporate offices in Christchurch and 10 processing and manufacturing plants around the country, was the big winner.
The company won three gold medals for its ribeye steaks, two gold medals for its sirloin steaks and a gold for fillet steak – a total of six gold medals.
Invercargill-based Alliance Group won two gold medals for its fillet and ribeye steaks. Silver Fern Farms, based in Dunedin, and First Light Farms (Havelock North) picked up a gold medal each for their ribeye steaks.
All four companies’ entries were grass-fed.
“It’s fantastic recognition for our farmers and the workers in our plants, and that we’ve got great products,” ANZCO Foods sales and marketing general manager Rick Walker said.
Anzco Foods
Workers at an ANZCO plant. ANZCO Foods won six gold medals.
Ocean Beef, a premium grass-fed, grain-finished product sold in China, Japan and Europe won three of ANZCO’s gold medals, for fillet, sirloin and ribeye.
“Stony River Black Angus, which is our premium Angus specific grass-fed beef sold in Europe and Singapore, took golds for ribeye and sirloin.
“Greenstone Creek, our premium grass-fed beef sold exclusively across 20 of New Zealand’s top restaurants, won the gold medal for ribeye.
“So, six golds plus two silvers across nine cuts that were submitted.”
The silver medals were for sirloin and fillet cuts.
Alliance Group general manager sales and marketing Shane Kingston said winning two gold medals for ribeye and fillet steaks processed at the company’s Pukeuri plant near Ōamaru was a proud moment for the co-operative and farmers’ shareholders.
“This global recognition validates our exceptional focus on excellence as we continue to grow our scale in premium beef.
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Alliance Group general manager sales and marketing Shane Kingston says his company is continuing to create world-class products.
“The farmers who supply our Pure South Hand-picked 55 Day Aged Beef programme deserve great credit for this very high quality award-winning product.
“This success will also help build confidence amongst consumers that we are continuing to create world-class products.”
Alliance also won two silver medals for ribeye and fillet steaks processed at its Mataura plant in Southland.
Silver Fern Farms and First Light Farms also won bronze medals for their sirloin cuts.
The World Steak Challenge overall winners will be announced in London next month.
Last year a Japanese company, Starzen Co, won the world’s best steak, the best sirloin and best grain-fed; Carni of Poland was voted the world’s best fillet, and Ambers GmbH and Jack’s Creek of Australia, the world’s best ribeye. They were all grain-fed.
The world’s best grass-fed winner was Linden Foods and Marks & Spencer of Northern Ireland for a sirloin cut.
Tucker Aubrey/Supplied
Neat Meat head butcher Tucker Aubrey shows one of his favourite methods for cooking steak.
