976f6de2-983c-46b4-8b0b-dc6a27380cd5.pdf MEDIA RELEASE Friday 27 May 2016 AACo's Darling Downs Wagyu named Grand Champion Beef at Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show

The Australian Agricultural Company's Darling Downs Wagyu has been named Grand Champion beef of the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show for the second year running.

The sirloin steak with a marble score of 7 came from an animal raised on AACo's Headlingly Station in Queensland's Gulf Country, and was finished for 300 days on grain at AACo's Goonoo feedlot in Comet, Central Queensland.

The Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show is one of Australia's premier fine food competitions.

The judges included award-winning restaurateurs Cameron Matthews of The Long Apron Restaurant, David Pugh of Restaurant Two and Jake Nicolson of Blackbird.

Chief judge Elaine Millar said: ''The Grand Champion AACo Darling Downs Wagyu had the right balance of elements - lasting juiciness, rich length on the palate, silky texture, succulent buttery biscuit flavours plus earthiness on the palate.''

AACO Managing Director Jason Strong said the win cemented Darling Downs Wagyu's reputation as one of the finest steaks in the world.

''Last year Darling Downs Wagyu won a gold medal at the World Steak Challenge in London and if anything we're constantly improving the quality,'' he said.

''We put a lot of work into this beef --- from raising the animals on some of the most beautiful cattle stations in Australia to the care and experience that goes into the final 300- day diet in our feedlot.

''It's continuing the tradition of excellence built up over more than 190 years of heritage in Australia.''

Earlier this month Darling Downs Wagyu won a gold medal in the Commercial Wagyu Steak class at the Australian Wagyu Association's annual awards, with the highest score of any beef in the entire competition.

AACo now has the largest Wagyu herd in the world, with its beef served at some of the world's finest restaurants.

AACo beef last year won more than six gold medals at Australian and global food competitions, including its Master Kobe being named the Grand Champion beef at the World Wagyu Forum.

AACo is Australia's largest integrated beef and cattle producer and the oldest continuously operating company in Australia.

The company runs the world's largest breeding herd of Wagyu cattle which includes the famous Westholme Wagyu, some of the most elite genetics ever to leave Japan.

For media queries please contact:

Matthew Horan matthew@horancommunications.com.au 0403 934958

AAco - Australian Agricultural Company Limited published this content on 27 May 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
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