Prime_Time_summer_2019

AKAUSHI BEEF

Brooke Young | Marketing and Customer Relations, HeartBrand ® Beef Inc. | brooke@akaushi.com Beef Matters H ave you ever been standing in line at the butcher shop says JoJo Carrales, vice president of Heart- Brand Beef Cattle Operations.

A group of Texas cattlemen were so impressed with Akaushi cattle that they discovered a loophole in the Trade Act of 1992 between the United States and Japan that allowed them to bring a few head of Akaushi cattle into the United States. Ron- ald Beeman and his son, Jordan, began expanding their passion for the Akaushi breed in 1998 through cattle development and meat sales. In 2006, the Beeman family established the HeartBrand Beef meat program after experiencing the advantage of Akaushi cattle and the impact this breed could have on the beef industry. HeartBrand now has the largest herd of registered Akaushi cattle in the United States. With more than 3,000 breeding-age females, HeartBrand is able to build on the quality of the cattle by selecting animals based on genetic and phenotypic traits. High-quality cattle and high-quality beef are two primary goals HeartBrand works toward on a daily basis. Why Choose Certified Akaushi Beef? As consumers, we are constantly search- ing for healthy, affordable and source- verified food to feed our families. That’s exactly what HeartBrand Beef brings to your table. Not only is our beef an all-nat- ural, hormone-free product, but Certified

and overheard these questions from other customers: Where is this beef from? How was the animal raised? Is this the healthiest option you have available?

Today’s consumers are scrolling through social media, reading the big headlines about the beef industry from a website or blogger who could be misinformed or sim- ply uneducated on the topic. HeartBrand ® Beef takes great pleasure and pride in helping consumers who are reaching out for answers about HeartBrand’s Certified Akaushi Beef. In this article, I will discuss the HeartBrand Beef story and how we strive to provide the highest quality prod- uct for consumers. The HeartBrand Beef Story First and foremost,

let’s clear up a misleading thought that Ronald Bee- man explains best: “All Akaushi are wagyu, but not all wagyu are Akaushi.” Wagyu sim-

Akaushi Beef also contains a higher concen- tration of mono- unsaturated fat relative to satu- rated fat, and it’s a significant source of oleic acid. “The best characteristic of HeartBrand 

ply means Japanese cow. Because Akaushi came from Japan, it is considered a wagyu breed. Akaushi is a specific breed of cattle that originated from Kumamoto, Japan. Akaushi are known for their genetic ability to produce high-marbled beef. “This breed is able to have the carcass quality, consistency and marbling without sacrificing the normal production traits,”

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2019

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