Zoeterwoude, Netherlands-based Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat announced on July 15 that it is now the exclusive distributor in Continental Europe for Australian Agricultural Company’s (AACo’s) Darling Downs and Kobe Cuisine brands. Previously the Brisbane-headquartered enterprise worked with several distributors in Europe.
Noting that Zandbergen has represented AACo’s brands since 2012, Joris Zandbergen, chief executive officer of the Dutch meat importing company, stated: “Every time we visit them we are impressed by the land, the cattle and the way AACo produces their Wagyu beef. With our intensified partnership we can serve our customers with a more continuous flow of these unique products.”
About AACo
Founded in 1824, AAco is the largest integrated beef and cattle producer and oldest continuously operating company of its kind in Australia, presently managing around 400,000 animals at its stations, open air feeding areas and farming operations in Queensland and the Northern Territory. It owns more than 6,000,000 hectares of land, equating to roughly 1% of Australia’s landmass.
The company has one of the largest Wagyu herds in the world, having earnestly moved into raising the breed following purchase of the Westholme herd in 2006. The cattle are born wild, are free to roam and raised on huge tracts of native Mitchell grass, then raised on propriety grain blends.
About Zandbergen
In addition to sourcing beef from Australia, Zandbergen imports frozen and chilled meat from North and South America, Thailand and New Zealand. It markets beef, lamb, veal, pork and poultry from these countries to customers in throughout the European Union as well as Switzerland, Norway and the Middle East under The Frozen Butcher line, as well as other labels. Furthermore, it began selling Beyond Meat brand plant-based faux meat products in 2018.
Founded 45 years ago, Zandbergen boasts two generations of experience in navigating the challenges of the trade flows and regulatory details of the global meat business.
