ENTRIES for the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show’s (RQFWS) Branded Beef and Lamb Competition presented by Super Butcher official open today.

Chief Judge Elaine Millar will once again lead a team of Queensland’s top judges and food experts, including Jake Nicolson from Black Bird Bar and Grill and Glen Barratt from Wild Canary, as they taste their way through some of the finest red meat in the retail market.

To also cater for the restaurant trade, a new Branded Lamb class has been introduced this year called ‘Restaurant Trade Branded Lamb Class more than 24kg.’ It’s open to MSA and non-MSA graded product with an average body output of 20 to 79 per week.

Medal-winning exhibitors will have the opportunity for their standout beef and lamb products to be served at the iconic Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) and popular RQFWS Grape Grazing by Night event, along with being featured on the Royal International Convention Centre menus.

RNA Beef Cattle Committee Chairman Gary Noller said the recognition received from a branded product being crowned one of the best in the country leads to more product sales.

“This competition really gives medal-winning brands credibility and because the product is branded we know the story behind it, which consumers are demanding more and more,” he said.

“Consumers also want consistency of product and the knowledge they’ll get a good eating experience with medal-winning brands each time they purchase them.”

Super Butcher Managing Director Susan McDonald said the push for branded products in the company’s six retail stores drove her to support the Branded Beef and Lamb Competition.

“Our customers, more and more, are looking beyond the meat they see in the store to the family which has produced it and how and where it is grown,” she said.

“A retail brand is a commitment, a promise, to the consumers and producers going the extra mile and putting in the effort to develop their brand deserve the recognition this competition delivers.

“I’m looking forward to tasting and to offering our customers exclusive access to the winners’ product.”

The Branded Beef and Lamb Competition is regarded as the most coveted and comprehensive of its kind, with entries up 33 percent over the past two years.

All products entered into the competition go through a rigorous judging process, with food scientists perfectly cooking each piece of meat, before being tasted by the experts.

Entries must be in by Friday 17 March, 2017, with judging taking place from Tuesday 2 May and the awards presentation to be held on Friday 5 May.

ENTRIES CLOSE – Friday, March 17, 2017

JUDGING – Tuesday & Wednesday, May 2 & 3, 2017

AWARDS PRESENTATION – Friday, May 5, 2017