VICTORIAN-based supply chain Harmony Agriculture & Food Co has topped the annual Melbourne Royal Show Food Awards branded beef division this week with a sample of the company’s Black Opal F1 Wagyu x Angus product.

The Black Opal entry topped 21 entries in this year’s two classes for Wagyu and non-Wagyu beef.

The Wagyu class produced five gold medals, which (as well as Black Opal) also included Beefcorp International for a sample of Sher Wagyu, Andrews Meat Industries for a sample of Shiro Kin Fullblood Wagyu, and Stockyard Beef for samples of Kiwami and Stockyard Black.

In the branded beef (non Wagyu) division, gold medals were awarded to Stockyard Beef for its Stockyard Gold Angus program, and JBS Australia for its Yardstick marbling score 2 and better grainfed product.

In other beef award categories, Andrews Meat Industries claimed Melbourne’s Smallgoods champion trophy with a sample of Tajima Wagyu Beef Bresaola (air-dried, cured beef).

Champion Large Meat Producer was Stockyard Beef, Queensland, while champion Small Meat Producer was Ashburton Meats, in Melbourne’s southeast.

Recognising the next generation of the industry, Harry Owen of The Meat Inn Place butchery, located at Lilydale east of Melbourne, was awarded the Excellence in Apprentice Butchery Trophy.

Melbourne is the last major branded beef awards for the year, following Sydney Show’s Fine Foods awards last week, Brisbane Show back in May, and the annual Wagyu branded beef awards in March.

Competing in Melbourne’s Branded Wagyu Class, Black Opal topped the branded Wagyu class while Harmony’s Omino Fullblood Wagyu brand received a silver medal. Judges praised both brands for their creamy marbling and tenderness.

Black Opal is Harmony’s flagship Wagyu brand and is an F1 product produced using Wagyu and Angus maternal genetics.

Chinese-owned Harmony was established in 2016, today showing annual production volume of more than 5000 tonnes of Wagyu-influenced beef, which its website claims places the business in the world’s top ten Wagyu producers.

Customers include wholesalers, restaurants, butchers and speciality stores in Australia and international markets including China, North America, Asia and the Middle East.

The company operates a 2000ha Wagyu breeding and backgrounding hub near Murrindindi in northeastern Victoria, comprising five grazing properties: Kalatha (Glenburn), Brilliant (Gobur), Mirrabooka (Yarck), plus Drum Drum Aloc and Mittagundi (both near Molesworth).

Harmony grainfeeds more than 19,000 head of Wagyu and Wagyu cross cattle annually at its own 10,000 head Dimboola feedlot in western Victoria, and at third-party owned Hell’s Gate feedlot, Balraynald. Processing takes place at G&K O’Connor, Pakenham.

Black Opal also earned a gold medal in the recent Sydney Show Fine Food Awards, and a gold in the 2026 Australian Wagyu Association’s 2026 branded beef awards back in March.