Content provided by British Council
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[1] 1 After more than a decade of research and development, the UK is now producing its own Wagyu beef – and it is available in Hong Kong. Wagyu from Japan dominates the Hong Kong market, while Australian Wagyu is also readily available as a cheaper option. So does Hong Kong need yet another option, or is it too late in the game for the British?
[2] This “British” Wagyu, from the Warrendale Wagyu business in England, is technically only half-British, as the cattle are the product of full-blood Wagyu bulls crossed with Holstein cows. The history of Holstein cattle and how they ended up in the UK is complicated. The breed originates from Germany’s Holstein region and the Netherlands. In the 19th century, breeders in North America imported these cattle and refined them for extreme milk production.
[3] This specialised dairy cow was exported from North America to the UK after World War II. It revolutionised the British dairy industry, especially from the 1970s on. This shift created a surplus of Holstein bull calves, initially a low-value by-product that was culled at birth. Over time, thanks to activism and pressure from the general public, the UK industry developed systems to raise these animals rather than killing them, establishing Holstein beef as a significant, lean and affordable source of meat for the domestic market.
[4] Roger Leung is the managing director of Eastern Point Trade, which imports Warrendale Wagyu beef into Hong Kong. He said there is a discernible difference in taste between British and Australian Wagyu. “There is definitely a stronger gamey meat flavour compared with the Australian Wagyu,” he explained. “That’s because the cattle of the UK Wagyu are grass-fed up until the last 150 to 170 days of their lives and then switched to a mix of grass and grain. Most of the flavour of Australian Wagyu comes from the fat.”
[5] Australian Wagyu cattle are typically raised on pastures for the first part of their lives. They are then finished on a grain-based diet for an extended period, often 350 to 500 days, to maximise the development of their buttery-textured fat, or marbling. This long-feeding protocol is essential to achieve the quality for which the beef is prized.
[1] With competition this fierce, is there any room for a new player like British Wagyu in the market? Leung believes that, given Hongkongers’ meticulousness regarding food quality, there is a strong emphasis on maintaining high standards. “Over the years, consumers in Hong Kong have been looking for a healthier option when it comes to their beef, which means grass-fed beef.”
[6] Grass-fed beef is considered better than grain-fed as it naturally contains a healthier fat profile – specifically, higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid. “However, when people look for a piece of steak, they’re looking for marbling, which you don’t get with grass-fed beef,” Leung said. “I think UK Wagyu can bridge that gap and provide a healthier option while providing the fat profile that everyone craves.”
Source: South China Morning Post, October 19
