What's News

Blackmore Wagyu Beef Dinner @ Cafe Vue

August 10-11, 2010
Cafe Vue held two special evenings (Cafe Vue at 401 St Kilda road, and Cafe Vue Heide) showcasing Blackmore Wagyu Beef. Canapes (pictured right) included beetroot ravioli with smoked bone marrow, wagyu tartare, and cured wagyu on brioche. Entree was wagyu tongue terrine, and the Plat principal included a platter of roasted, braised and slow cooked wagyu and side dishes to share. Wine complimented each course, followed by delicious fromage and dessert. Our thanks to all the chefs and front of house staff, and Head Chefs Jim McDougall at 401, and Mark Briggs at Heide, for two sensational nights of food, wine, and hospitality.

“Wagyu’s a winner” news story

August 2, 2010
The Country News ran a story “Wagyu’s a Winner” with Alexandra based beef producer Blackmore Wagyu winning national recognition for the sixth time in the Australian Produce awards. Business development manager, Ben Blackmore, talks about the current market, saying that 40 per cent of product is sold domestically, and 60 per cent is distributed overseas to the Unitied States, Thailand, Dubai, Oman, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Korea, and Hong Kong. Ben attributes strong demand for our product to the fact few are competing in the 100 per cent full blood wagyu market. To read the article, go to Wagyu's a Winner, Country News.

“Making waves with Wagyu” Weekly Times

August 4, 2010
Andrew Mole interviews David Blackmore about what motivates him and the secret behind his success. David talks about brand and industry recognition, sustainable farm practices, feeding, genetics, market demand, intellectual property, and succession planning. For the full article, go to The Weekly Times Now.

“What’s Posh Now” in The Weekend Australian Magazine

July 31 – August 1, 2010
The Weekend Australian Magazine recently did a food & wine special on luxury foods, and ranked Blackmore Fullblood Wagyu second on the new luxury list for 2010. This is a great compliment, with other luxury producers including Ortiz Anchovies, Buffalo Mozzarella from Campania, Italy, Joselito Gran Reserva Jamon Iberico, Small-Grower Champagne, Hierloom tomatoes (and other heirloom vegetables), Tuna “Toro”, and Ethical Foie Gras. For all the details, check out What’s Posh Now in The Weekend Australian Magazine.

“Victoria tastes success in national Produce Awards 2010”

July 21, 2010
Covering the 2010 Produce Awards for Australia’s best primary producers, the Herald Sun article suggests that demand for Wagyu beef, has steadily risen since it first appeared on Australian menus in the early 1990’s. Victorian Producers took the honours for diary and beef, with Blackmore Wagyu receiving ‘From the Paddock’ award honours. For more about the categories, winners and medalists, go to Victoria tastes success in national Produce Awards 2010, in The Herald Sun.

‘From the Paddock’ Produce Award

July 19, 2010
The winners of the fifth ABC delicious. magazine Produce Awards were announced on Monday night in grand style at Circa, The Prince in St Kilda. Blackmore Wagyu Beef was again recognised as a winner and medallist, for the 2010 Produce Award 'From the Paddock’.

Blackmore Waygu Beef is thrilled to receive this reward by a panel of Australia's leading chefs and be recognised amongst an inspired group of some 50 producers and finalists.

For the complete run down of Australia's top producers across 12 categories, check out this month’s issue of ABC delicious. magazine or the ABC delicious. website.

“Look What’s on the Menu Now” article in AFR

June 18-20, 2010
Shane Bailey, Executive Chef at Berardo’s restaurant in Noosa, is serving up Blackmore Wagyu steaks. Shane, featured in The Australian Financial Review (AFR, 2010), said that he gets a big kick out of working with great produce and mentioned cutting up some great steaks from David Blackmore. Shane also commented that “people are actually prepared to pay for good quality meat” and “customers understand they need to pay for quality” (AFR, 2010). Although we are not exporting to Japan as was reported, our Blackmore Wagyu Beef is being eaten around Australia, and exported to countries including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Dubai and the US.

“High Steaks” article in The Age newspaper

June 7, 2010
Sally Webb started the article with “It’s expensive but it’s easy to justify” (The Age, 2010). She was of course talking about the cost of Wagyu Beef. The “High Steaks” article goes on to say that the breeding of fullblood wagyu, animal husbandry, and feedlot practices – is fundamental to the end product and explains the high price tag (The Age, 2010). This is a stand-out article on Blackmore Wagyu Beef and production processes, with insights from Dave Ellis, from Victor Churchill Butcher Woollahra; Neil Perry, chef and restauranter from Rookpool Bar and Grill; and Justin North, chef and owner of Becasse Sydney. Go to The Age, High Steaks article

Blackmore Wagyu in Dubai & Hong Kong

June, 2010
The new Terra Firma Steakhouse, at the exclusive Al Badia Golf Club, Dubai, is now serving 300g Blackmore Wagyu Beef tenderloin. Meanwhile, Friendly Cheung, Master Chef and Owner of Fusion Goumet, Hong Kong, is serving up Blackmore Wagyu Beef. On the menu is 600 day grain fed m9+ skirt steak (barbecued with balsamic vinaigrette), short rib (braised with shallots a la crème), and Vietnamese style noddle soup with sliced beef filet (with kaffir limes, bean sprouts and thai basil).

Japanese TV Visit to Farm

May, 2010
The national Japanese TV broadcaster NHK has visited our farm and filmed a story that looks at how Australia remains disease-free, in light of the recent FMD (foot and mouth) outbreak in Japan. It looked at the precautions and measures the Australian industry takes to remain FMD free and how Blackmore Wagyu Beef runs it’s Wagyu operations. This aired on one of Japan's main night news programs "News Watch 9".

Lifestyle Asia Cover Story

April, 2010
Lifestyle Asia magazine recently featured Blackmore Wagyu Beef after covering stories on Australian Wagyu and Victor Churchill. Lifestyle Asia is the weekly magazine out of the Australian New Express Daily. This Chinsese newpaper is based in Sydney and distributed in Australia. It also has a popular following in China.

2010 Produce Awards with Delicious Magazine

June 17, 2010
Blackmore Wagyu is a finalist in the 2010 Produce Awards with delicious.magazine. The national judging day for the ‘Sea and Paddock’ produce was held in Sydney on Tuesday 13th April 2010. The national judges were Maggie Beer, Alla Wolf-Tasker, Matt Moran, Philip Johnson, Cheong Liew and Neil Perry. The Winner will be announced at the Awards night on 19th July. Get your June issue of delicious.magazine for more about the finalists.

Melbourne International Food and Wine Festival

March 12-15, 2010
This year David Blackmore joined Neil Perry’s MasterClass ‘The Steak and the Sizzle’, held as part of the Melbourne International Food & Wine Festival. This year’s event saw a Blackmore Wagyu Cow and her calf on show on the Crown Promenade outside Rookpool Bar & Grill. This was followed by a presentation by Blackmore Wagyu to Rockpool staff the following week.

Vue de Monde Farm Visit

March, 2010
Shannon Bennett, Chefs and front of house staff from Vue de monde visited Kalkallo and Alexandra farms to see the origins of the product they use at Vue de monde, Bistro Vue and their Cafes. The tour included the breeding process and a look at the cattle in their relaxed natural surrounds. Everyone devoured lunch, with roast Wagyu, home grown fruit and vegetables, and Julie's pavalova and yo-yo biscuits on the menu.

Anthony Bourdain Obsession

March 8, 2010
Blackmore Wagyu Beef featured in an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations which is shot around the globe and aired on the Travel Channel in the USA and on the Discovery Networks internationally. It's a food and travel program interested in the culture and cuisine of the less travelled tourist route. The “Obsessed” episode is about passionate people who take a process or ingredient to the next level.