Image: MLA Aussie Beef Mates campaign
Twenty-one of the world’s leading chefs, food professionals and food influencers have arrived in Victoria for an immersive eight-day tour from 26 August to 2 September, designed to strengthen global demand for premium Australian beef.
Representing key export markets across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, the United States, Greater China, Korea and Japan, the delegation will gain unprecedented access to Victoria’s world-class beef industry, meeting producers, processors, butchers and chefs while exploring the journey of Australian beef from paddock to plate.
The visit forms part of Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) flagship Aussie Beef Mates program, which brings together international advocates to build awareness, appreciation and demand for premium Australian beef in key export markets.
Delivered in partnership with Global Victoria, the week-long delegation will provide participants with a firsthand look at Victoria’s world-class beef industry, connecting them with producers, processors, butchers, chefs and industry experts from across the supply chain.
Throughout the week, delegates will visit Victorian beef properties and participate in immersive supply chain experiences showcasing Australia’s production systems, animal welfare practices, sustainability credentials and quality assurance standards.
As part of the delegation, participants will attend specialised Aussie Meat Academy sessions delivered by MLA experts, alongside hands-on butchery and culinary experiences that explore Australian beef cuts, eating quality attributes and menu applications.
The program aims to deepen delegates’ understanding of Australia’s beef industry while creating a network of influential ambassadors who can share their experiences and champion Australian beef in their home markets.
MLA General Manager International Markets, Andrew Cox, said the delegation provides an opportunity to connect some of Australia’s most influential foodservice advocates directly with the people behind Australian beef.
“Aussie Beef Mates is about creating lifelong advocates for Australian beef by giving delegates a firsthand understanding of the care, expertise and innovation that exists throughout our supply chain,” Mr Cox said.
“These chefs and food professionals have significant influence in their respective markets. By connecting them directly with our producers, processors and industry experts, we’re helping build a deeper appreciation for the quality, consistency and integrity that make Australian beef sought after around the world.”
“The strength of Aussie Beef Mates lies in the relationships that continue long after the delegation concludes. We’ve built a global network of close to 100 chefs, food professionals and influencers who have experienced Australia’s beef industry firsthand and use that knowledge to promote Australian beef in their home markets.”
“Victoria’s diverse beef industry and renowned food culture make it an ideal setting for this year’s program. From Gippsland’s cattle country to Melbourne’s vibrant food scene, delegates will experience firsthand how Australian beef is produced, processed and ultimately showcased on menus around the world.”
Victorian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Natalie Suleyman, said Victoria is an exports powerhouse with trade a key driver of the state’s economic growth.
“There is a reason Victoria’s beef industry attracts strong global demand – it’s world-class. Connecting our leading exporters with buyers from key markets helps them reach their global potential.
“We will continue to back our food and fibre exporters to ensure our gold-standard products can be enjoyed by consumers right across the globe.”
Through Aussie Beef Mates, MLA and Global Victoria continue to build relationships with key global markets while supporting demand for Australian beef and showcasing the industry’s commitment to quality, sustainability and innovation.
To view all Aussie Beef Mates’ profiles, visit: ABM Chef profiles
The headline announced that “Twenty one of the world’s leading chefs, food professionals and food influencers” are arriving in Australia as part of an industry delegation. It’s an impressive claim — but it raises an obvious question:
Who are they?
For years, groups of international chefs, buyers and influencers have travelled through Australia’s red meat supply chain. Some have been outstanding advocates for Australian beef, lamb and goat. Others have come and gone quietly, with little long term impact and almost no public information about who they were or what they actually did.
This latest delegation is being promoted as “world leading”, yet no list of names, backgrounds, restaurants, social influence or commercial buying power has been released. For an industry built on transparency, provenance and trust, that’s a gap worth addressing.
Why their identities matter
Australia’s red meat sector exports to more than 100 countries. Roughly 50% of Australia’s beef exports are for manufacturing so no need to go there. However, for the other 50% the Chefs and food professionals who influence consumer behaviour in those markets play a critical role in shaping demand, menu trends and purchasing decisions. Knowing who these 21 individuals are is essential for understanding:
• What restaurants, hotels or food groups they represent
• What volumes of Australian beef, lamb or goat they currently use
• What cuts, brands or specifications they prefer
• How they compare Australian product to the USA, NZ or South America
• How they promote Australian meat in their menus, media, blogs or social channels
• Whether they are genuine long term ambassadors or simply short term visitors
While the visit itself is very welcome, it is at a huge cost to the levy payer, and the industry would benefit greatly from in depth interviews with each participant. These interviews should capture:
• Their professional background and market influence
• Their weekly usage volumes of Australian red meat
• Their honest views on quality, consistency and value
• Their expectations from suppliers
• Their plans for promoting Australian product when they return home
This information would provide valuable insights for producers, processors, exporters and marketers — and help justify the investment in hosting such delegations.
Transparency strengthens the brand
Australia’s red meat sector is globally respected for quality, safety and integrity. Releasing the names and profiles of these 21 “world leading” visitors would reinforce that reputation and allow the industry to celebrate genuine champions of Australian beef, lamb and goat.
Until then, the headline remains impressive — but the details behind it deserve to be seen.
Editor’s note – a mistake at our end meant a hyperlink to a PDF document with bios on each of the 21 chefs did not appear on the original article. We have now amended the error and added the link to the chefs’ bios at the bottom of the article.
MLA has since offered the following points, as a right of reply:
• The program is a jointly-funded initiative, with 50pc of the investment provided by the Victorian Government through Global Victoria.
• The purpose of the program is not simply to engage the largest-volume purchasers of Australian beef. If that were the sole objective, the delegation would look very different.
• The program is designed to identify influential, highly-skilled and passionate food professionals who can shape consumer preferences, menu trends and purchasing decisions in their home markets. By providing these individuals with firsthand exposure to Australia’s production systems, provenance story and beef quality, the industry aims to build long-term advocacy and demand for Australian beef across key export markets.
• The article itself marks only the beginning of the program. The delegation has only recently commenced its Victorian immersion, and MLA will be publishing a range of follow-up content, including chef profiles, feature articles, social media content, media interviews and podcasts that further explore the delegates, their experiences and the value they bring as advocates for Australian beef.
Glen Feist’s observations are valid and his dot point “Their honest views on quality, consistency and value” is of paramount importance. Trade mission and hosting expenditure is usually justified with comments such as “being seen” but very rarely complemented by documented outcomes.