Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart yesterday unveiled her new wagyu brand 2GR, with the first shipment bound for Asia.
The new brand was launched at the John Dee Processing Plant in Warwick, Queensland, where staff and guests gathered to witness the packaging of the first consignment of beef to China.
“Today’s 2GR brand, which includes the initials of my daughter Ginia and me, pays respect to the historic H3B brand and builds upon their legacy of surviving in remote and difficult conditions, and producing agricultural products," Rinehart told launch attendees.
“The cattle are recorded for whole-of-life traceability using their DNA collected at birth and are grain fed on locally produced ingredients, resulting in tender cuts of beef with rich marbling – some of the best in the industry I believe.
“In a few moments we will see the last three pallets loaded onto the inaugural container of 2GR Premium Fullblood Wagyu that is bound for Asia. We hope that this shipment will be the first of many in the decades to come.”
2GR beef will include fullblood wagyu beef from three Hancock Prospecting-owned cattle stations in western NSW near Dubbo. The fullblood wagyu cattle are then grain-fed in Warwick Queensland prior to processing.
Rinehart has recently been significantly ramping up her cattle investments, although this side of the business is still very small compared with her mining interests.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce said, “Mrs Rinehart has been a great exporter of Australian product, whether that is mineral or food.
“Our total beef exports to China, both chilled and frozen, reached 206,000 tonnes in 2015-16, worth $1,096 million and I welcome any further investment into this growing market."
