Available now via UK distributor Classic Fine Foods, Westholme is grazed for two years on grass before spending a minimum of 270 days feeding on grain. Westholme cattle live free range for the first two years of their life, to give its signature taste and marbling.
The brand is underpinned by the independent Meat Standards Australia (MSA) eating quality system. It can be purchased as grades 4-5mbs, 6-7mbs and, the “ultimate premium and exquisitely marbled” 8-9mbs.
Sold under the Westholme brand, the business is part of Australian Agricultural Company (AACo). Established in 1824, it is the oldest continuously operating company in Australia. The Westholme herd was founded on champion wagyu bulls and cows that came to Australia from Japan more than two decades ago and are fully traceable. AACo has cbuilt on foundational Wagyu bloodlines to produce what it claims are the most highly credentialed cattle to ever leave Japan.
Sustainability
The brand says sustainability is a key consideration. Its wagyu are fed grain comprising of various ingredients, including cotton seed and almond husks. These are not specifically grown for cattle rearing, they are by-products of human consumption, which is one of the ways Westholme is reducing its environmental impact.
Westholme brand ambassador Terry Farrell said: “What we now call sustainability, is what we at Westholme used to just call farming. It’s of critical importance to us and has been since we started some 200 years ago. We are exceptionally proud of our heritage and take our stewardship of the land extremely seriously. We are responsible for approximately 1 % of the entire Australian land mass (equivalent to the size of Belgium), and our wagyu herd at 120,000 head is now the largest in the world.”