Australian Wagyu Association Recognizes New Champion in Branded Beef Competition

Grand championship winners Martin and Martine Donohue from Marble King Wagyu in Victoria, being congratulated by sponsor Terry Donohue (no relation) from Ariat, right, and AWA chief executive Matt McDonagh.

In a stunning turn of events, a relatively new player in the Wagyu supply chain has emerged victorious at the Australian Wagyu Association’s (AWA) annual Branded Beef Competition. The awards ceremony took place during the AWA’s WagyuEdge conference held in Brisbane this week.

This premier competition allows brand owners and cattle producers to showcase their products, benchmark against competitors, and receive invaluable feedback to enhance their offerings. The judging occurred last year over three days, with a careful blind taste test conducted by 60 judges.

Grand champion’s eye muscle photo taken during judging – digitally-measured IMF was 54.2pc.

Taking top honors among 84 entries was a Fullblood Wagyu sample from Martin and Martine Donohue’s Marble King Wagyu, located in Victoria’s Acheron Valley. The Donohues entered the Wagyu industry just four years ago, transitioning from traditional cattle and sheep farming, and aim to grow their Fullblood cow count from 1,000 to approximately 2,000 in the coming years.

The Marble King program currently feeds 90% of its cattle from its own breeding stock, with plans to maintain self-sufficiency. The cattle are raised in the high-rainfall regions of the Yarra Ranges, northeast of Melbourne, and are fed for 450-600 days at the ICM Peechelba Beef feedlot, owned by Martine’s father, Doug Shears.

This year’s grand champion was a BMS 12 striploin exhibiting a digital marbling percentage of 54.2%. The Fullblood cattle are processed at Central Agri Group’s facility in Trafalgar, Victoria, routinely achieving marbling scores of 9 and higher, with the best carcasses reaching scores of 12 and 13.

Marble King is now focused on expanding its market reach into Europe and the UK, with additional sales to Malaysia and Singapore. Their products are featured in top-notch venues like Brisbane’s Phat Cow steakhouse.

“We believe the EU and UK markets are somewhat under-serviced in terms of high-end Wagyu,” Mr. Donohue stated. “Our processing facility is not accredited for the Chinese market, which aligns with our strategy.”

Financial performance is tightly linked to carcass yield, and the Donohues’ cattle are bred for optimal feed conversion rates while adhering to traditional Japanese feeding and management practices.

Pictured above, Martine Donohue and daughter engage with customers at an international trade show.

Feedback from trade show visitors sampling the Fullblood product has been overwhelmingly positive, with some claiming it surpasses the A5 Japanese product in terms of mouthfeel, according to Martine Donohue.

Other Class Winners

This year’s competition showcased remarkable marbling across all categories. The Fullblood class peaked at a digitally-measured IMF level of 69.2%. The overall reserve grand champion was another Fullblood entry from Scott de Bruin’s Mayura Station, exhibiting an IMF of 61.8%.

Summary of Class Winners

Purebred Class: Mort & Co’s Master Selection brand topped this class with a striploin achieving 66.9% IMF after being fed for 390 days.

Crossbred Class (F1-F3): Mort & Co’s The Phoenix brand led this category with scores of 64.9% IMF.

Open F1 Class: JBS Australia’s Andrews Meat Industries won this division with a sample from Tajima Wagyu, scoring 63% IMF.

Commercial Wagyu (Marbling Scores 5-7): Queensland Stockyard claimed first place with their Stockyard Silver brand, showcasing an IMF of 30%.

Andrews Meats and JBS teams celebrate victory in the crossbred class.

The Australian Wagyu Association’s competition not only highlights exceptional meat quality but also underscores the dedication of producers across the region. As Wagyu brands continue to evolve, the competition remains a crucial platform for innovation and excellence in the beef industry.