A new partnership has emerged between bespoke brand house Paradigm Foods and the Australian White's Margra Lamb, expanding their global reach.
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Margra Lamb, owned and operated by the Gilmore family, Tattykeel stud, Oberon, NSW, uses only the best genetics from the Australian White sheep and is renowned for its exceptional eating quality
The announcement came following Tattykeel's annual stud sale on Wednesday where Australian White rams sold to a top of $240,000, surpassing the former national meat sheep record of $165,000, and averaged $42,667.
The company's first lamb collaboration, Paradigm Foods general manager Nick Thompson said the business had been looking for a niche lamb product to partner with and Margra Lamb was the perfect fit.
"We believe the future of premium lamb lies in the Australian White breed which has been bred specifically for superb eating quality," Mr Thompson said.
"It is really hard to find a point of difference in the lamb space.
"But when you look at the Australian White, the attributes the breed owns gives that point of difference whether you look at it from a scientific perspective such as the lower fat melting point or from delivering a product to the customer with a stunning taste and health benefits.
"Amazingly the Australian White ticks both of those boxes."
Mr Thompson said there was a huge opportunity fo growth within the Australian White breed.
"Specifically with it being a haired sheep rather than wool, so in terms of labour requirements there is no shearing, crutching or the use of chemicals needed in wool production," he said.
"But the potential for the breed to grow expansively into other areas in Australia is quite phenomenal."
Already, Margra has been established in some of Australia's leading restaurants with the assistance of well-known chef, Mark Best.
And the next step is to expand the brand globally.
Since 2020, the global average change in the value of Australian chilled lamb exports has risen 25 per cent (Meat and Livestock Australia), and Mr Thompson believes they can capture even more value with Australian Whites.
"I love the idea of being able to confidently say the product is healthy, but with the scientific proof behind it," Mr Thompson said.
"Not too many brands can do that. It's not a line to providence and it's not a line of a particular grade or a carcase.
"It is purely linked back to the breed and that is the difference. We can use that to put it in front of consumers and we believe there is a very strong demand for it."
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Margra Lamb is the culmination of a years-long journey of brothers, Martin and Graham Gilmore, who worked with associate professor Aduli Malau-Aduli from James Cook University to develop their product, drawing on inspiration from native-haired sheep seen in South America.
While Martin did not live to see the fruition of their project, Australian Whites are today considered as one of the world's premium lamb-eating experiences.
With finely micro-marbled meat and thick subcutaneous fat, Margra Lamb has elevated levels of omega-3 long chain fatty acids.
The moisture-storing capacity of these fatty acids and the low melting point of the fat (28-34c) make Australian White a unique culinary product.
Graham Gilmore said the partnership with Paradigm would help to further grow the global market reach of the breed.
"The eating quality we have been able to achieve with Australian Whites has really only previously been seen in Wagyu beef - so we really are delivering a unique and unparalleled lamb experience," Mr Gilmore said.
"We are keen to collaborate with Paradigm Foods to share our story and product with customers throughout the world who we know will be delighted by this delicate lamb meat that is very proudly Australian born and bred."
Mr Thompson said the US is an untapped market.
"Within a 12-hour flight we have 45 million people from the west coast of LA into the bay area, all where there is demand and willingness to pay for a premium product," he said.
"Now is our opportunity to put a product with a point of difference in front of them."
