Kinross Station, Endeavour, and the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) have unveiled what they are calling the world’s first ultra-premium lamb. KS7 is graded at seven per cent intramuscular fat (IMF) and is the result of 12 years R&D.
MLA managing director, Michael Crowley, said KS7 represented “a bold leap” forward for the lamb industry and aligned with the association’s mission to connect livestock production and product development to exceed consumer expectations for “quality, provenance, and a luxury eating experience”.
“KS7 demonstrates innovation at its highest level. It’s the result of decades of commitment and dedication to identify superior genetics, optimisation of production with a crystal-clear focus on delivering a luxury consumer experience that elevates lamb to new heights,” Crowley said.
Kinross Station founder, Tom Bull, said KS7’s high IMF delivered a luxurious mouthfeel, superior juiciness, and depth of flavour that rivals the best cuts of beef, making it ideal for premium dining experiences.
At a marble score of 7, the lamb matches premium beef standards. The use of the objective grading system, common in beef for over a decade, is a first for lamb.
“We’ve seen flocks where up to 60 per cent of lambs meet KS7’s stringent specifications. For producers, the payoff is significant,” said Bull.
“Lambs that meet the marbling standard can attract up to $1 more per kilogram, which means an extra $35 per head at export weights. It’s also about creating a product that chefs trust and diners will remember.”
The launch represents a transformative time for the industry, shifting from its traditional wool-focused heritage to become an “uber premium” meat product that can compete with wagyu beef.
Critical turning point
Kinross Station founder, Tom Bull, told Food & Drink Business that within the industry there was a shared vision of increasing the value of lamb due to rising costs and environmental challenges. He said compared to the beef industry; there had been an ongoing lack of coordination in lamb supply and a need for better marketing strategies.
Bull has been driving the change since 2012 and said the industry had reached a critical turning point, recognising the need for lamb to follow the trajectory of wagyu and Angus beef or risk being “left behind”.
The transformation represents a fundamental shift from lamb's 150-year history as a byproduct of Australia's wool industry.
“It’s really only been this last decade or so since people have got their heads on and thought, we actually need to breed a lamb for its meat quality, not its wool quality,” Bull said.
Currently, approximately one million lambs using Kinross genetics are on the ground at any given time, with farmers reporting better lambing rates and improved daily weight gain.
Meat sales and marketing company, Endeavour, has been working with Kinross since the beginning. CEO Anthony Pratt told Food & Drink Business that historically the industry has struggled with branding.
He said they have changed the approach to focus on pull through demand rather than traditional push marketing.
“We’re deeply connected, so we’re going to pull that product through to a restaurant or a retail shelf, no matter what the market conditions are, and the strategy is already paying dividends in the international market,” Pratt said.
In the US, KS7 branded lamb has increased sales for one retailer by 200 per cent, while commandeering higher prices.
“Normally, those two wouldn’t go together. It tells you the consumer is prepared to pay if they feel they’re getting value for money,” he said.
Bull and Pratt agree that a key challenge the partnership addresses is consistency, something that has plagued the lamb industry compared to beef’s more coordinated supply chains.
“The genetic controls and grain-feeding program helps address that. Consumers don’t want variability, chefs sure as hell don’t want variability. We are ensuring consistent quality,” Pratt said.
