Here’s Why Consumers Are Turning to Wagyu Beef
There’s beef. Then there’s Wagyu beef. And more and more discerning consumers are enjoying the unique and tasty dining experience that Wagyu beef brings to the table.
That’s because of Wagyu beef’s unique flavor profile and the exceptional marbling that the breed is known world-wide for, says Andy Pendergrass, CFO of R-C Ranch near Houston Texas. R-C Ranch is a farm-to-fork company selling Wagyu beef through its own retail outlet, e-commerce, grocery stores, and two large food service purveyors.
Demand for Wagyu beef, particularly in the past two years, has increased, Pendergrass says. “The first (reason) is that consumers instantly associate the name Wagyu with quality, and that’s a fair assumption on their part. The second is that it’s healthier. That’s something that consumers are becoming more aware of; they’re seeking out healthier options.”
The difference that Wagyu beef brings to the table are higher levels of oleic and conjugated linoleic fatty acids in the marbling, the flecks of fat interspersed in the meat. “The cattle have a uniquely different fatty acid profile,” says Dr. Dale Woerner, who holds the Cargill Endowed Professorship in Meat Science at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.
The higher levels of those two important fatty acids give Wagyu beef it’s unique flavor profile, Woerner says. Combining that with the fact that the marbling in Wagyu beef is not only more abundant but more evenly distributed and much finer in texture makes for a dining experience like no other.
“I think what distinctly sets Wagyu apart is flavor performance. There is no doubt that in each of our research studies that we have done involving Wagyu that they perform in a league of their own,” Woerner says.
Then there’s the trend toward healthy eating. While not new, the trend became even more important to many consumers as COVID kept people at home. “And the first place they go when they go down that (healthy) path is their diet. That’s one reason we think Wagyu has been really successful in the market over the past two years,” Pendergrass says.
Oleic and conjugated linoleic fatty acids are associated with a heart-healthy diet, especially when consumed along with other heart-healthy foods, Woerner says. “Adding more of those particular fatty acids across the total of your entire diet is beneficial. So, eating Wagyu beef in combination with olive oil, avocados or other foods that are naturally rich in oleic and conjugated linoleic acids is recommended,” he says.
The Appeal of Wagyu Beef
“We have two main customers,” Pendergrass says. “The first is the weekend warrior who wants the most amazing cut of beef he’s ever had. That’s the person who wants to be king of the pit and impress all his buddies when they come over for dinner.”
The other is the mom who wants only the best for her family. “She wants to know it’s healthy. She wants to know that it’s nutritious. And in our case, a lot of times she wants to know that it is produced the right way by someone she can put a face or name to as it pertains to the producer.”
Beyond its unique flavor profile is tenderness. Research at Washington State University with half-blood Wagyu-Angus and straight Angus looked at the effects of protein restriction in the dams during the last trimester. “Protein supplementation did not affect Slice Shear Force (SSF) in either breed. However, Wagyu-sired cattle had lower SSF than Angus-sired,” according to the research report published online in Science Direct.
“In conclusion, Wagyu-sired cattle had greater tenderness and marbling score compared to Angus-sired, which was associated with lower collagen cross-links,” according to the report.
“Even in the event that something was as tender, it definitely won’t have that really silky texture to it and that really good mouth feel that makes the steak eating experience so enjoyable,” Pendergrass points out. “We find that the juiciness of Wagyu creates a much better mouth feel.” That’s because of the finer, abundant marbling.
The amount and distribution of marbling are just part of the factors that affect tenderness. Genetics, management, and the aging process, among others, are important. And some beef cuts are inherently more tender than others. However, a carcass that has more marbling in its ribeye and thus a higher quality grade, on average, is more tender than a carcass with a lesser amount of marbling in its ribeye, Woerner says.
“I think we’ve all had a filet that was tender, but it was dry,” Pendergrass says. “Something can be very tender, but without the amount of marbling in it, it won’t have that really silky, buttery texture. And I think that’s a part of where all that extra marbling in Wagyu beef really excels in the dining experience.”
