The more sophisticated diners are looking beyond Kobe Beef to experience new and unique brands. Just like in wine and cars, brands can give you a lot of information about the products. This article breaks down what is behind a Wagyu brand.
How many brands are there?
Some sources say there are over 150 Wagyu brands, whereas others claim there are more than 320. Why such a big difference? It depends on whether you count self-proclaimed brands and brands that produce mixed cattle, also called F1. F1 cattle are created by crossbreeding one of the 4 Wagyu breeds with a non-Wagyu cow, usually a dairy cow like Holstein.
At Wagyu Sommelier™, we only count and work with purebred Wagyu, so the number of brands you see on our website is currently 158.
What does a brand name tell you?
A registered or generally recognized Wagyu brand will give you the following information:
- Who the producer is
A brand could be produced by a single farm or by a small group of farms in the same geographical area. For example, Hokuto Gyu are only raised on the Nisshin Farm in Hokkaido, whereas the famed Kobe Beef can be raised by any farm in the Hyogo Prefecture that is registered with the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association, provided that the beef meets certain quality standards.
- Where and how the cattle are raised
Many brands are named according to the geographical location where the cattle are raised, so oftentimes you know immediately which region the beef comes from. By looking up the brands, you will also find information about the environment the animals live in and any special rearing practice of the farmers, such as the type of hay used for the cow beds and measures taken to reduce the environmental impact.
- Production size
Bloomberg recently ran an article on Ozaki Beef, claiming that it comes from “one small farm.” Mr. Ozaki’s beef is exquisite, but at a production scale of close to 800 cattle per year, the farm can hardly be called small in Japan. Many Japanese farms are much smaller, with some produce no more than 100 cattle per year. Looking up the brands will give you all this information.
Brand names will also tell you the feed and average vintage of the Wagyu. Stay tuned for future articles on those topics.
All in all, the brand is a good predictor of a Wagyu’s quality and characteristics. Chat with us about which brands best fit into the philosophy and concept of your establishment.