Page 96 - NZ Herefords Magazine 2018

On Farm

Smaller cuts meet
consumer

demand

WORDS / PHOTOGRAPHS SHERYL BROWN

Ryan and Graham Strawbridge will use embryo transplants
to breed their own beef herd this year.

CONSUMER EDUCATION AND DELIVERING the right product Karapiro Prime beef is aged for 21 days, which adds another
to markets is the key to opening the door for Hereford beef, layer of taste to the meat.
Karapiro Prime director Ryan Strawbridge says. “Aged meat, it’s another point of difference. People are
Karapiro Prime is a new company selling aged Hereford cuts enjoying the flavour of the meat, a lot of them haven’t tried aged
at Auckland food markets. mince for example.”
The meat is supplied direct from Strawbridge Farms, owned They have started selling at the Britomart Central Auckland
and operated by Ryan’s father, Graham. Market and La Cigale French Market in Parnell and will be selling
Ryan, a builder living in Auckland, first had the business at the Takapuna markets this year.
idea when some of his friends starting enquiring about buying They already have a lot of repeat customers – once people
homekill meat, a process which has now become illegal. try the Hereford meat they come back for more, Ryan says.
Growing up on a farm and always having access to homekill It’s been a big learning curve finding out people’s buying
beef, it’s easy to take the quality and the availability of meat for habits and what cuts they enjoy. Quality meat is more of a luxury
granted, Ryan says. purchase now for many – people want to eat quality but tend to
He’s always had a passion for good quality meat and had buy smaller portions.
the idea simmering for a couple of years, so decided to pursue “We are definitely spoilt growing up on farms, having as
the opportunity to supply what he says is a growing demand. much meat as we want.”
He started the company with fellow directors Ranz Fruean People are requesting smaller cuts from quarter roasts to
and Robert Adamson, and shareholder Ben Hulme. smaller rump steaks or only two lamb chops in one package,
They started selling at Auckland markets in August 2017 so they’ve had to adjust.
and launched online before Christmas to start delivering meat
boxes in Auckland.
They are awaiting MPI approval for a wholesale licence to supply
restaurants, which they hoped to have completed in early 2018.
There is genuine interest from Auckland chefs who are
looking for a supply of Hereford beef, Ryan says.
There is enormous potential for Hereford to compete equally
with the likes of Angus, he says.
“Angus has always been well marketed for the past 20 years
– Hereford is just as good.
“It comes back to education and getting consumers to know
more about the quality of Hereford meat.
“I think we can give Angus a good run for their money.” Karapiro Prime is a new company selling aged Hereford cuts at
Auckland food markets.
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