PORKER
Well-known member
Kobe beef producer adds Kurobuta pork to line
Patricia R. McCoy
Capital Press Staff Writer
BOISE – Most American livestock producers concentrate on growing and marketing animals as fast as possible.
Jay Theiler wants the beef and pork he sells to be well-aged.
His products are Kobe beef and Kurobuta pork, marketed under the Snake River Farms brand by a newly formed umbrella company, AB Foods.
That company combines Snake River Farms and Washington Beef, both started by Agri Beef, Boise, said Jay Theiler, executive director of marketing for AB Foods.
"Kobe beef comes from both genetics and management. We cross Japanese Wagyu cattle with Black Angus, and feed the offspring three to four times longer than conventional cattle. That develops the Kobe beef producer adds Kurobuta pork to line
Patricia R. McCoy
Capital Press Staff Writer
BOISE – Most American livestock producers concentrate on growing and marketing animals as fast as possible.
Jay Theiler wants the beef and pork he sells to be well-aged.
His products are Kobe beef and Kurobuta pork, marketed under the Snake River Farms brand by a newly formed umbrella company, AB Foods.
That company combines Snake River Farms and Washington Beef, both started by Agri Beef, Boise, said Jay Theiler, executive director of marketing for AB Foods.
"Kobe beef comes from both genetics and management. We cross Japanese Wagyu cattle with Black Angus, and feed the offspring three to four times longer than conventional cattle. That develops the marbling and intermuscular fat that becomes a premium product," Theiler said.
American Kobe draws a premium price, but is cheaper than its Japanese counterpart. In Japan, Wagyu cattle are traditionally raised on a diet of beer and barley, and receive regular massages. In the AB Foods program, no special diet is involved. The Wagyu-Black Angus crossbreeds are fed the same roughage any other U.S. cattle eat. The difference is the longer feeding period, he said.
"Feeding for such a long period gets expensive, but we get a premium price for a premium product. The early years were difficult. It took us at least five years to figure out the right program and begin to turn a profit," Theiler said.
AB Foods supplies the genetics for their cattle to contract growers, then buys the cattle back. About 50 producers are involved, Theiler said. The animals are fed out in American Falls, Idaho. The pigs are being raised in the Midwest with about 70 family farms under contract.
"The Kobe beef project began after Robert Rebholtz, Agri Beef's chief executive officer, tasted it while visiting Japan in the late 1980s, he said.
"He thought there might be an opportunity to raise Kobe beef in the United States. We started out with several Japanese partners, and exported everything to Japan. As the herd and our supply grew, we began to look for domestic markets," Theiler said. "That let our business continue to grow despite the bovine spongiform encephalitis crisis that closed the Japanese market in December 2003."
No U.S. Kobe beef is being exported to Japan today, and likely never will be again, he said. The guidelines for cattle imported to the island nation require all animals to be no more than 20 months old. The extended feeding program required to produce Kobe beef makes meeting that standard impossible.
"It's evolved into a political issue rather than a food safety question. To us, shutting down an entire market because of three sick animals seems a little extreme," Theiler said. "By the same token, I spend a lot of time in Japan. They're good customers, and very honorable people. We have a good relationship with our contacts there.
"Other Asiatic nations went to a 30-month standard. We can meet that. As a consequence, we still sell product to other Pacific Rim countries. We're also exporting our beef to Canada and Mexico. We still sell domestically, and we recently sent some to Bangladesh," he said.
The Kurobuta pork project began after a group of Midwestern farmers approached AB Foods, he said. Kurobuta means black pig in Japanese. The breed involved is Berkshire. Again, a long-term feeding program is required for a premium product, he said.
"They had the expertise to produce the pork. They saw how we developed our U.S. Kobe beef market, and came to us for our marketing expertise. We're helping them make a living and stay in business," he said.
AB Foods Kurobuta pork is exported to Japan and other Asian markets, he said. The domestic market is still being developed, currently mainly with chefs at high-end restaurants.
- Friday, March 17, 2006
Pat McCoy is based in Boise. Her e-mail address is [email protected]. product," Theiler said.
American Kobe draws a premium price, but is cheaper than its Japanese counterpart. In Japan, Wagyu cattle are traditionally raised on a diet of beer and barley, and receive regular massages. In the AB Foods program, no special diet is involved. The Wagyu-Black Angus crossbreeds are fed the same roughage any other U.S. cattle eat. The difference is the longer feeding period, he said.
"Feeding for such a long period gets expensive, but we get a premium price for a premium product. The early years were difficult. It took us at least five years to figure out the right program and begin to turn a profit," Theiler said.
AB Foods supplies the genetics for their cattle to contract growers, then buys the cattle back. About 50 producers are involved, Theiler said. The animals are fed out in American Falls, Idaho. The pigs are being raised in the Midwest with about 70 family farms under contract.
"The Kobe beef project began after Robert Rebholtz, Agri Beef's chief executive officer, tasted it while visiting Japan in the late 1980s, he said.
"He thought there might be an opportunity to raise Kobe beef in the United States. We started out with several Japanese partners, and exported everything to Japan. As the herd and our supply grew, we began to look for domestic markets," Theiler said. "That let our business continue to grow despite the bovine spongiform encephalitis crisis that closed the Japanese market in December 2003."
No U.S. Kobe beef is being exported to Japan today, and likely never will be again, he said. The guidelines for cattle imported to the island nation require all animals to be no more than 20 months old. The extended feeding program required to produce Kobe beef makes meeting that standard impossible.
"It's evolved into a political issue rather than a food safety question. To us, shutting down an entire market because of three sick animals seems a little extreme," Theiler said. "By the same token, I spend a lot of time in Japan. They're good customers, and very honorable people. We have a good relationship with our contacts there.
"Other Asiatic nations went to a 30-month standard. We can meet that. As a consequence, we still sell product to other Pacific Rim countries. We're also exporting our beef to Canada and Mexico. We still sell domestically, and we recently sent some to Bangladesh," he said.
The Kurobuta pork project began after a group of Midwestern farmers approached AB Foods, he said. Kurobuta means black pig in Japanese. The breed involved is Berkshire. Again, a long-term feeding program is required for a premium product, he said.
"They had the expertise to produce the pork. They saw how we developed our U.S. Kobe beef market, and came to us for our marketing expertise. We're helping them make a living and stay in business," he said.
AB Foods Kurobuta pork is exported to Japan and other Asian markets, he said. The domestic market is still being developed, currently mainly with chefs at high-end restaurants.
- Friday, March 17, 2006
Pat McCoy is based in Boise. Her e-mail address is [email protected].
Patricia R. McCoy
Capital Press Staff Writer
BOISE – Most American livestock producers concentrate on growing and marketing animals as fast as possible.
Jay Theiler wants the beef and pork he sells to be well-aged.
His products are Kobe beef and Kurobuta pork, marketed under the Snake River Farms brand by a newly formed umbrella company, AB Foods.
That company combines Snake River Farms and Washington Beef, both started by Agri Beef, Boise, said Jay Theiler, executive director of marketing for AB Foods.
"Kobe beef comes from both genetics and management. We cross Japanese Wagyu cattle with Black Angus, and feed the offspring three to four times longer than conventional cattle. That develops the Kobe beef producer adds Kurobuta pork to line
Patricia R. McCoy
Capital Press Staff Writer
BOISE – Most American livestock producers concentrate on growing and marketing animals as fast as possible.
Jay Theiler wants the beef and pork he sells to be well-aged.
His products are Kobe beef and Kurobuta pork, marketed under the Snake River Farms brand by a newly formed umbrella company, AB Foods.
That company combines Snake River Farms and Washington Beef, both started by Agri Beef, Boise, said Jay Theiler, executive director of marketing for AB Foods.
"Kobe beef comes from both genetics and management. We cross Japanese Wagyu cattle with Black Angus, and feed the offspring three to four times longer than conventional cattle. That develops the marbling and intermuscular fat that becomes a premium product," Theiler said.
American Kobe draws a premium price, but is cheaper than its Japanese counterpart. In Japan, Wagyu cattle are traditionally raised on a diet of beer and barley, and receive regular massages. In the AB Foods program, no special diet is involved. The Wagyu-Black Angus crossbreeds are fed the same roughage any other U.S. cattle eat. The difference is the longer feeding period, he said.
"Feeding for such a long period gets expensive, but we get a premium price for a premium product. The early years were difficult. It took us at least five years to figure out the right program and begin to turn a profit," Theiler said.
AB Foods supplies the genetics for their cattle to contract growers, then buys the cattle back. About 50 producers are involved, Theiler said. The animals are fed out in American Falls, Idaho. The pigs are being raised in the Midwest with about 70 family farms under contract.
"The Kobe beef project began after Robert Rebholtz, Agri Beef's chief executive officer, tasted it while visiting Japan in the late 1980s, he said.
"He thought there might be an opportunity to raise Kobe beef in the United States. We started out with several Japanese partners, and exported everything to Japan. As the herd and our supply grew, we began to look for domestic markets," Theiler said. "That let our business continue to grow despite the bovine spongiform encephalitis crisis that closed the Japanese market in December 2003."
No U.S. Kobe beef is being exported to Japan today, and likely never will be again, he said. The guidelines for cattle imported to the island nation require all animals to be no more than 20 months old. The extended feeding program required to produce Kobe beef makes meeting that standard impossible.
"It's evolved into a political issue rather than a food safety question. To us, shutting down an entire market because of three sick animals seems a little extreme," Theiler said. "By the same token, I spend a lot of time in Japan. They're good customers, and very honorable people. We have a good relationship with our contacts there.
"Other Asiatic nations went to a 30-month standard. We can meet that. As a consequence, we still sell product to other Pacific Rim countries. We're also exporting our beef to Canada and Mexico. We still sell domestically, and we recently sent some to Bangladesh," he said.
The Kurobuta pork project began after a group of Midwestern farmers approached AB Foods, he said. Kurobuta means black pig in Japanese. The breed involved is Berkshire. Again, a long-term feeding program is required for a premium product, he said.
"They had the expertise to produce the pork. They saw how we developed our U.S. Kobe beef market, and came to us for our marketing expertise. We're helping them make a living and stay in business," he said.
AB Foods Kurobuta pork is exported to Japan and other Asian markets, he said. The domestic market is still being developed, currently mainly with chefs at high-end restaurants.
- Friday, March 17, 2006
Pat McCoy is based in Boise. Her e-mail address is [email protected]. product," Theiler said.
American Kobe draws a premium price, but is cheaper than its Japanese counterpart. In Japan, Wagyu cattle are traditionally raised on a diet of beer and barley, and receive regular massages. In the AB Foods program, no special diet is involved. The Wagyu-Black Angus crossbreeds are fed the same roughage any other U.S. cattle eat. The difference is the longer feeding period, he said.
"Feeding for such a long period gets expensive, but we get a premium price for a premium product. The early years were difficult. It took us at least five years to figure out the right program and begin to turn a profit," Theiler said.
AB Foods supplies the genetics for their cattle to contract growers, then buys the cattle back. About 50 producers are involved, Theiler said. The animals are fed out in American Falls, Idaho. The pigs are being raised in the Midwest with about 70 family farms under contract.
"The Kobe beef project began after Robert Rebholtz, Agri Beef's chief executive officer, tasted it while visiting Japan in the late 1980s, he said.
"He thought there might be an opportunity to raise Kobe beef in the United States. We started out with several Japanese partners, and exported everything to Japan. As the herd and our supply grew, we began to look for domestic markets," Theiler said. "That let our business continue to grow despite the bovine spongiform encephalitis crisis that closed the Japanese market in December 2003."
No U.S. Kobe beef is being exported to Japan today, and likely never will be again, he said. The guidelines for cattle imported to the island nation require all animals to be no more than 20 months old. The extended feeding program required to produce Kobe beef makes meeting that standard impossible.
"It's evolved into a political issue rather than a food safety question. To us, shutting down an entire market because of three sick animals seems a little extreme," Theiler said. "By the same token, I spend a lot of time in Japan. They're good customers, and very honorable people. We have a good relationship with our contacts there.
"Other Asiatic nations went to a 30-month standard. We can meet that. As a consequence, we still sell product to other Pacific Rim countries. We're also exporting our beef to Canada and Mexico. We still sell domestically, and we recently sent some to Bangladesh," he said.
The Kurobuta pork project began after a group of Midwestern farmers approached AB Foods, he said. Kurobuta means black pig in Japanese. The breed involved is Berkshire. Again, a long-term feeding program is required for a premium product, he said.
"They had the expertise to produce the pork. They saw how we developed our U.S. Kobe beef market, and came to us for our marketing expertise. We're helping them make a living and stay in business," he said.
AB Foods Kurobuta pork is exported to Japan and other Asian markets, he said. The domestic market is still being developed, currently mainly with chefs at high-end restaurants.
- Friday, March 17, 2006
Pat McCoy is based in Boise. Her e-mail address is [email protected].
