RNA chief executive Brendan Christou with proud Midfield general manager Dean McKenna

WARRNAMBOOL processor Midfield Meat International’s Union Station brand has been recognised as Australia’s best branded lamb at the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show Awards.

Midfield’s Union Station lamb won the gold medal in the Restaurant Trade Branded Lamb category (over 24kg cwt) and went on to be crowned the champion branded lamb of the show last week.

Midfield Meat International’s champion Union Station lamb rack at the 2021 Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show

Midfield also scored a silver medal in the over 24kg class, ahead of the Tasmanian Royal brand entry from Royal Wholesale Meats, Clontarf, Queensland.

Midfield Meat International’s Ross Kenyon said the company’s achievement at the awards was reflective of many areas of hard work, including Midfield’s attention to detail and the new technology implemented over the past 12 months to the company’s cold chain.

“We’re very excited and pleased to be recognised as producing the best branded lamb by the Royal Queensland Food & Wine Show.

“These are Midfield’s flagship products and are premium brands recognised in Australia and internationally,” he said.

“It’s great recognition for our partner farmers, who produce excellent product, and our staff, as their attention to detail leads to consistent product across the brands.”

Royal Wholesale Meats celebrates first show wins

RNA chief executive Brendan Christou, left, presents the award for best branded lamb over 20kgs to Royal Wholesale Meats operations manager David Pickworth.

The Royal Wholesale Meats business won its first gold medals at the show, with wins in the Meat & Livestock Australia Branded Lamb category, (20kg or less) ahead of two Midfield entries, and in the branded lamb over 20kg class, from a Lamb of Tasmania entry from Tasmanian Lamb Company, and an Australian Lamb entry from Woodward Foods Australia, Swan Hill, Victoria.

Chief judge of the Branded Beef and Lamb Competition Elaine Millar said the overall quality of the beef and lamb entries was exceptional this year.

“Due to the extraordinary marbling in both the beef and lamb entries, the uncooked visual judging was overwhelmingly the best we have ever experienced.

“Unlike any other year, there was extreme diversity in visual, flavour, texture and juiciness which provides a wonderful opportunity for retail, food service and ultimately the end diner to experience the multiplicity of taste sensations the seasons, regions and breeds bring to our plate,” she said.

Almost 500 entries in produce awards

Australia’s best beef, lamb, cheese and ice cream products were crowned from a total of almost 500 entries in the awards, the RQFWS’s largest ever celebration of the nation’s finest produce.

Stockyard Black produced on the Darling Downs was named Australia’s best steak, while Milani Minus Eight Degrees in Sunnybank, Brisbane, took the title of Australia’s best ice cream with their dark chocolate lemon flavour.

Queensland has held the Grand Champion Branded Beef of Show title since 2014, but the Grand Champion Ice Cream, Gelato or Sorbet of Show award sat with a New South Wales producer, after they crushed a four year winning streak by the Sunshine State in 2019. Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese’s Riverine Blue made in Gippsland won the title of Australia’s best cheese.