SMITHTON meat processor Greenhams is beefing up to expand its sales of grass-fed meat to the US from $80,000 to $800,000 a week.
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Greenhams managing director Peter Greenham was brimming with confidence about the expansion following a first-time visit to the North-West by some impressed American buyers this week.
He said there was also a lot more market potential to be realised on top.
Judging by the positive buzz coming from the US contingent inspecting cattle on farms at Smithton and King Island there was a strong possibility for a far greater push into the massive US market.
Mr Greenham said his company was taking advantage of the American trend away from grain-fed beef and capitalising on the growing reputation of Greenham grass-fed beef and Cape Grim beef produced by Greenham.
American shoppers were seeing more and more grass-fed beef in grocery stores as the grain-fed beef sales declined.
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More chefs these days hail the superior taste of grass-fed beef, which is not ``finished'' on a diet of grains and supplements for rapid weight gain, and is promoted to be better for the environment.
``Grass-fed is the big thing,'' Mr Greenham said.
``In America it is the buzz word and everybody is after grass-fed beef.''
Mr Greenham went with the US buyers as they toured King Island and Circular Head farms this week over three days.
?They also went to the Launceston area with Swift.
The Americans wanted grass-fed meat produced hormone free.
``It links in with their growing philosophy of buying clean, green products,'' Mr Greenham said.
``Tasmania is one place they know they can come to buy natural beef.''
Mr Greenham said the buyers liked what they saw and were looking at Tasmania as a source of supply, and were also travelling around Australia to look at different supply chains elsewhere.
``Currently these buyers are not buying any meat from Australia,'' Mr ?Greenham said.
``We've been talking to these buyers for about six to eight months and this was their first trip here.
``They were very impressed with what they saw.
``They loved the farmers, their beef and the rolling hills and how beautiful it is in Tassie.
``If it comes off it will be great for Tassie.''
Mr Greenham said demand for Cape Grim and Greenham beef is outstripping supply.
The development of the brand in the past few years was being aided by consumers wanting more information on where food was grown and about the integrity of supply chain processes and customers were increasingly demanding grass-fed beef.
Tasmania could supply that at a high quality, he said.