Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong presents the award to Gundagai Lamb’s GLQ5+ account manager Molly Greentree.

INNOVATIVE New South Wales value-added lamb marketer Gundagai Lamb was last night crowned NSW Exporter of the Year, taking out the top honour at this year’s NSW Export Awards.

Gundagai Lamb chief executive officer Will Barton said the business has never stood still, constantly innovating to change how lamb is measured and valued, ensuring it earns its place on tables across the globe.

“We are a family-owned and operated business from Gundagai, proudly exporting our lamb to major cities around the world.

“The Export Awards are an opportunity to tell our story beyond the farm gate, showcasing how innovation, quality and a commitment to excellence have helped us build markets and relationships around the world,” he said.

In the lead up to and following the launch of its Gundagai Lamb brand, the Barton Group’s Gundagai Meat Processors company has recorded achievements that have led the Australian lamb industry in value-added processing, measurement, feedback and payment to producers.

GMP was the first plant in the world to individual carcase measurement of lean meat yield using a “hot side” DEXA unit and of intramuscular fat using the MEQ Probe.

GMP was the first plant in Australia to record animal health and carcase defects identified during processing at an individual carcase level.

GMP was also the first and only known lamb plant in Australia to;

○ successfully track individual carcases from slaughter to boning room (in commercial production), enabling the use of LMY, IMF and Animal Health data on an individual carcase basis to inform boning runs.

○ implement a fully automated carcase chilling and sortation system, enabling optimised carcase sortation (based on objective data captured on the slaughter floor – HSCW, LMY, IMF, Animal Health) and “no touch” carcase handling.

Gundagai Lamb was the first lamb brand to offer a genuinely value based livestock grid, paying on HSCW & LMY with bonuses for above average marbling when excess fat is controlled (GLQ5+ bonus).

Gundagai Lamb was the first and remains the only lamb value chain in the world to;

○ provide a complete package of HSCW, LMY, IMF and Animal Health data, objectively measured at an individual carcase level on every lamb processed in its brand to the producers who supply the brand.

○ segregate finished product based on objectively measured quality attributes (GLQ Score Graded vs GLQ5+) to offer customers a choice of product tiers based on attributes disclosed to the customer.

GMP was also the first, and remains the only known lamb plant in the world, to be able to grade lambs to Meat Standards Australia standards.

Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong congratulated Gundagai Lamb on being named NSW Exporter of the Year, and all of the excellent finalists who have won awards.

“The Minns Labor Government is focused on growing the economy the right way, by backing businesses to expand, invest and create jobs.

“The businesses recognised in these awards are proof that NSW can compete with anyone in the world when we support innovation, ambition and entrepreneurship.

“From the Riverina to Newcastle and Western Sydney, these exporters are putting NSW on the map and driving economic growth in communities across our state.”

Now in its 64th year, the NSW Export Awards recognise the achievements and resilience of NSW exporters, with this year’s program spanning 13 national categories and three NSW categories.

Winners in the national categories progress as finalists for the Australian Export Awards to be held in Canberra on 18 November 2026.

Other NSW winners included RBK Nutraceuticals, which took out the Western Sydney Exporter category. The manufacturer has been producing health and wellness supplements since 1996 and supplies retailers in more than a dozen countries.

Flavourtech won the Regional Exporter category. Established in 1987, the company specialises in aroma recovery, extraction and evaporation technology for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries and exports to more than 60 countries.

Newcastle-based Pitcrew AI won in the Resources and Energy category for its autonomous heavy-vehicle inspection technology. Its system uses thermal imaging, computer vision and AI to detect potential tyre problems, helping improve safety and reduce downtime. The technology is deployed across Australia, North America, South America, Africa and Asia.

Export Council of Australia chair Dianne Tipping said the organisations recognised through this year’s NSW Export Awards have demonstrated not only excellence in international markets, but the resilience, adaptability and leadership required to succeed in an increasingly complex global environment.

“Their achievements are helping strengthen NSW’s reputation around the world and will undoubtedly inspire other businesses to pursue their own export ambitions.”