It is interesting how long it has taken for the well known taste and quality of merino meat to be grasped by marketers and processors and developed into a commercial product.
Many older and experienced farmers quoted the qualities of this meat years ago and were often seen competing for the few avaliable at saleyards.
Now it seems with the processing grunt of Silver Fern Farms and the marketing skills of the NZ Merino Company, the Silere alpine origin brand is a successful reality.
One of the weakness of high country properties was the reliance on only one product, but now with a valuable meat hogget and a young fleece to add to the income, profits will improve.
If you have tried this new product report to us your culinary experience, and is it as good as these celebrity chefs report?
Top chefs Nick Honeyman and Hayden McMillan transformed a high country favourite into a culinary sensation in front of hundreds of Merino growers and industry partners at The NZ Merino Company’s 2012 conference in Christchurch on Monday. The two chefs, who feature Silere alpine origin merino on the menus at their Auckland restaurants, jumped at the chance to cook for the people who produce it. McMillan said, “Exclusivity and origin of produce, and creating dishes for the season are paramount to my philosophy. Silere alpine origin merino is a perfect fit with that.”
The cooking demonstration came at the end of updates on the Alpine Origin Merino partnership between Silver Fern Farms and NZM. Established last year through the government’s Primary Growth Partnership (PGP), the joint venture aims to unlock significant additional value for farmers of Merino sheep through a branded niche approach to meat and co-products. In the last 12 months, $45 million dollars worth of meat contracts have been signed with growers through the Alpine Origin Merino programme. The meat contracts provide a valuable second income stream for fine wool growers.
The premium Silere alpine origin merino meat brand was trialled with consumers during the Rugby World Cup, and is now on the menu of more than 30 top-end restaurants around the country. John Brakenridge, CEO of NZM, said, “It’s phenomenal that in 12 months we have gone from a concept, to now having tens of millions of dollars worth of contracts signed with growers and the Silere alpine origin merino brand on the menus of top restaurants around the country.”
Keith Cooper, CEO of Silver Fern Farms, told growers at the conference, “The positive response Silere alpine origin merino has received in NZ has given us a huge amount of confidence for aligning partnerships as we go into the next phase of targeting the premium restaurant trade in international markets.” Consumers can find out more about SILERE alpine origin merino, and the restaurants where it can be enjoyed, by visiting www.silere.co.nz.
We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment.
Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.