AACo’s new Westholme brand has been awarded gold medals in the Australian Wagyu Association’s branded beef competition.
In the brand’s first foray into this competition, it achieved outstanding results in the crossbred and commercial classes, with AACo saying it validates the company’s eating quality based brand approach to providing a “great dining experience with every Westholme steak”.
The results were announced at a gala dinner in Albury last night.
AACo managing director Jason Strong said the results reflected the brand’s stringent quality criteria and AACo’s confidence in delivering an outstanding dining experience to consumers.
Mr Strong said Westholme cattle were raised on pristine tracts of Mitchell grass and grain finished on proprietary blends that include wheat, sorghum and molasses. Rich marbling - throughout the cut – delivers a signature tenderness and a juicy steak that offers a timeless experience, every time, he said.
“The families that produced Westholme beef are dedicated to stewarding the land, and have a collective obsession with crafting the finest beef in the world,” Mr Strong said.
“These families take great pride in delivering the best steak from their home – our station – to plates around the world.”
The award winning commercial sample was finished on grain at AACo’s Goonoo Feedlot at Comet in Central Queensland; and the crossbred sample came from Aronui Feedlot at Dalby on the Darling Downs.
Competition judges assessed visual raw appearance as well as a sensory taste panel covering tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall liking. The crossbred Westholme sample with 32 per cent marbling achieved 748 points out of a possible 910; and the commercial sample with 37pc marbling scored 671 points.
The crossbred sample was described by judges as: “tender, very juicy, great flavour. Rich and rounded”. The commercial sample feedback was: “wonderful clean and caramel aroma, very tender beef with cereal flavour and very juicy.”
Also held on the night was an auction to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctors Service, where Enoch Bergman of Swan’s Veterinary Clinic, WA, auctioned a number of donated items. An AACo Wagyu striploin raised an impressive $4500 for the charity, taken home by long-time supporter of the RFDS and AACo, Jane Hughes of Hughes Pastoral Company.