The Hancock Group has today launched its new fullblood wagyu beef brand for export to Asia – a special moment for an Australian-owned and grown product.
Mrs Gina Rinehart, the chairwoman of the Hancock group, was today at the John Dee Processing Plant in Warwick, Queensland, to launch the fullblood wagyu brand 2GR together with staff and guests to witness the packaging of the first consignment of beef to China.
‘2GR beef is proudly 100% Australian owned, and will be utilised on fine Australian fullblood wagyu cattle,” Mrs Rinehart said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce welcomed the new wagyu export.
“Mrs Rinehart has been a great exporter of Australian product, whether that is mineral or food,” he said.
“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.
“Our China-Australia Free Trade Agreement has delivered tariff cuts to exporters, for example the third tariff cut under ChAFTA on 1 January 2017 means the tariff has fallen from 12-25 per cent for chilled and frozen beef pre ChAFTA, down to 8.4-17.5 per cent.”
2GR beef will include fullblood wagyu beef from three Hancock cattle stations in western New South Wales, near Dubbo.
Together these properties currently hold about 8000 head of prime fullblood Wagyu, including the recently acquired 1500 fullblood Wagyu from well-known industry breeders David Blackmore and Mal Burston.
Once the fullblood wagyu leave NSW they are grain fed in Queensland, in Warwick, prior to processing.
Mr Joyce added “not only will this support jobs in regions on the property, in transit and through using local providers, but the reputation of high-quality Australian wagyu beef into China will benefit other Australian producers selling premium meats there.
The brand name 2GR takes its inspiration from more than 100 years ago, when Mrs Rinehart’s great grandfather founded Ashburton station in the late 1800’s and the brand ‘H3B’ – Hancock 3 brothers, which were his 3 sons, George, John and Richard. After their father died, George, John and Richard, continued to run Ashburton Downs station, each brother taking in turn managing for 3 years. Georgina Rinehart, was named after her grandfather, George, and later, Ginia was named after her mother.
“Today’s 2GR brand, which includes the initials of descendants, my daughter Ginia and me, pays tribute to our family descendants and the historic H3B brand and builds upon their legacy of surviving in remote and difficult conditions, and producing agricultural products. My family members including me, who descended from this pioneering stock, are delighted to be here today,” Mrs Rinehart said.
