AUSTRALIA might be the number one global exporter of goat meat, but it seems domestic consumers are missing out on this delicacy.
To raise awareness across the nation about the health benefits and great taste of goat, Meat & Livestock Australia has this week launched its 'Goat Track' campaign.
This will help consumers find goat meat on local restaurant menus - especially targeted at the Sydney market - and raise awareness about how the meat can be cooked at home.
MLA domestic marketing manager Graeme Yardy said Goat Track was an opportunity to showcase how goat was used in the food service sector.
"Goat meat is hard to find for the average consumer to use at home, but there are many restaurants that offer it regularly," Mr Yardy said.
He said Australia produced about 28,000 tonnes of goat meat in 2023 - which was one of the biggest production years on record - but only about 6000t was used domestically.
"We want to let consumers know they can ask their local butcher for goat meat and be pleasantly surprised by its taste," he said.
"Our next big challenge is to get it into the supermarkets.
"But this is a chicken and egg situation.
"The supermarkets want to know they will get regular supplies and the producers want to know they will have a market for their goats before they ramp-up production."
Mr Yardy said there were some cultures where goat meat featured more heavily on the table than others, including those of southern Asia.
He said, like all red meat, goat meat was nutritionally dense.
"It is high in iron and protein," he said.
"And it has a lot of macronutrients."
Mr Yardy said the Goat Track campaign would highlight how goat was used by restaurants and there would be a goat trail to be hosted by an influential chef who would develop their own goat recipe to help promote cooking at home.
"We will be featuring where to find goat meat around Sydney and showcasing a range of cuts, preparations and cuisines," he said.
"This initiative replaces the previous Goatober campaigns used to promote goat meat domestically.
"As the weather cools down, it represents the perfect opportunity to enjoy a range of delicious goat dishes at a restaurant - or inspire consumers to give goat a go at home."
Marybrook Premium Produce owners Marissa Taylor and Tony Passamani supply goat meat to the Perth market through direct door-to-door sales and to wider WA through several weekend farmers' markets.
The pair are passionate about their goats, which are produced on grass only at their Boyup Brook property.
"Initially I didn't want goats because they are cute and they are destroyers," Ms Taylor said.
"But we had the opportunity to get some Boers from a breeder and took it up."
Ms Taylor said there had been increasing interest from WA chefs for goat meat, but there were problems processing the meat to Halal standards.
"So we are now 100 per cent selling at farmers markets and direct to consumers in Perth alongside our grass-fed lamb deliveries," she said.
"I would love to see more goat being sold, as it is a beautiful meat to eat.
"We started doing goat because people were asking for it and sales have really taken off since we started to supply it."
Marybrook Premium Produce goat is sold in individual cuts as well as in goat meat pies and the very popular goat chorizo.
