Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
How the Wagyu industry is crafting the niche beef value chain.
Wagyu beef is a premium niche beef product and rightly so. Ensuring that this exceptional product delivers on its promise at every stage of the value chain, is what Wagyu producers commit to, and what the World Wagyu Conference, held in Stellenbosch from 13 to 14 October, will focus on.
According to Deja Nienaber, CEO of the Protea Group of Companies, and organiser of the World Wagyu Conference, producing a niche beef product and demanding a premium price implies conscious decision-making at every stage of the value chain in order to deliver on the Wagyu brand promise. It is with this principle in mind, that the organisers created the conference programme.
Themes crafted for constructive discussion
The conference will focus on specific themes, each presentation has implications for the wider beef industry, what producers must do differently to accommodate changing consumer perceptions, how we must look at optimising the utilisation of a carcass to increase return on investment for niche beef producers, and how legislation and protocols protect producers and consumers alike.
“Every decision made along the value chain should enhance the value proposition that the Wagyu brand represents. The conference programme has therefore been designed to examine each link in that chain and demonstrate how excellence at every stage contributes to the final result,” says Nienaber.
The first day will focus on the on-farm aspects of producing Wagyu beef, genomics, calf management, herd immunity, economics, and changing consumer perceptions. The second day will focus primarily on beef, covering topics such as health benefits, objective carcass grading systems, and how butchery techniques can help maximise the value from a Wagyu carcass. This includes topics on novel cuts and the best way to prepare, plate and market them to the chef as well as the consumer.” There will also be an amazing welcome reception and an unforgettable gala dinner to experience everything in action.
Best practices: Key to production success
During the conference, delegates will hear what different countries are doing to elevate their Wagyu brand and value chain. The anchors of these sessions will be Dr Ryan Davies, veterinary technical consultant from Pembrokeshire, West Wales, and Saskatoon Colostrum Company Ltd. He will be sharing practical, science-based insights on immunity and disease prevention in Wagyu calves and comparing them to calves from other breeds.
Other presentations to look forward to are Dr Otto Koekemoer from Design Biologix, talking about the advantages of vaccinations for economically important diseases, and Dr Gary Evans from Neogen, helping us to understand how we can leverage genomics to extract premium carcase value.
The regulatory sphere
Producing exceptional Wagyu beef is equally as important as understanding the regulatory framework. People usually roll their eyes when they hear about regulations and legislation in farming, but for Wagyu and niche beef, it supports our value proposition and the premium we can demand for our product. Therefore, these presentations will focus on what we as producers and value chain partners need to consider in crafting the best beef for future generations.
Presentations on addressing animal identification, registration, DNA verification, traceability, and exploring how these systems strengthen consumer confidence and support the positioning of premium branded beef can be expected at the conference.
Dr Phillip Oosthuizen of Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) will talk about how South Africa has become an industry leader in the red meat value chain. Waldo Scheepers, CEO of Wagyu South Africa, and Dr Bobbie van der Westhuizen, CEO of SA Stud Book, will share what they’ve learned about how effective administration and processes strengthen the supply chain for the benefit of all.
These same principles and practices are also fundamental in enabling the production and export of premium red meat products. Wagyu is seen as a benchmark for the entire red meat industry, elevating all red meat products with the lessons learnt along the way – lessons which can be capitalised on without having to pay the school fees again.
A crucial link in the beef value chain
Return on investment is ultimately the driver of every decision throughout the value chain. This theme introduces Gerhard van der Burgh, senior analyst and director focusing on data science, systems integration, and value chain optimisation at the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP). He specialises in agricultural economics, livestock and red meat sector research, and market modelling, and will address delegates on the local and international economic perspectives on the global beef industry and the role Wagyu plays.
The final session will focus on understanding changing consumer expectations, including health, eating quality and experience, convenience, sustainability, animal welfare and product traceability. These factors influence purchasing decisions and shape the future of premium beef production. Rosalind Murray, trends and insights analyst at Woolworths, will contextualise what the future of our beef market will look like. She will further scrutinise how Wagyu is perfect for future-focussed products and opportunities for growth and innovation.
At the heart of it lies the carcass
Wagyu SA is focussed on implementing carcass grading and evaluation of marble score to determine the carcass value instead of the traditional carcass classification system. Prof Edward Webb, professor of Animal Sciences at the University of Pretoria, will talk about the science-backed health benefits of Wagyu beef.
Tanya Pieterse, chairperson of the World Wagyu Council’s technical committee and Wagyu supply chain coordinator at Protea Reserve Wagyu Co, will share the different objective tools and technology available and utilised for carcass grading internationally. Wagyu continues to lead the red meat industry through innovations such as comprehensive traceability, carcass scanning, and tools to measure marbling. These technologies generate valuable performance data that supports informed breeding decisions and validates premium quality claims.
Dr Phil Bass of the Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences Department at the University of Idaho in the USA, will provide a technical explanation and exploration of the Wagyu carcass and its potential to deliver added-value cuts. He will anchor the session and demonstrate the innovation that is possible with rendering cuts from the forequarter.
The consumer is king, and Wagyu its queen
Every decision made throughout the value chain ultimately serves one purpose: to satisfy the consumer. The feedback loop will form the backbone of this session. Learn from culinary experts and gain a deeper understanding of the different properties of unique Wagyu sub-primals or frontquarter cuts in the ultimate beef culinary experience, as culinary experts at different Wagyu tasting stations share their favourite Wagyu cut and how they prefer to prepare, plate, and serve it. This offers a unique opportunity to taste their unique Wagyu craftmanship.
Along with other chefs from the region, we are humbled by the presence of Lean Gentini, the world’s first international Wagyu meat sommelier. Gentini hails from Argentina but relocated to Japan to master the art of Wagyu, delving into the complexities of this premium beef.
“The Wagyu carcass offers many possibilities, especially the more we as consumers understand the unique flavour profiles of different forequarter cuts,” says Nienaber. “This is the ‘pot of gold at the end of the rainbow’ in the Wagyu and niche beef value chain. A good example is the flat-iron cut, where a restaurant chain has even been named after this cut in the UK because people realised how amazing it is. Second to the fillet, it is the most tender cut on the carcass, but unlike the fillet, it has intense marbling, giving a rich beefy, melt-in-your-mouth flavour, where traditionally the fillet is enjoyed with sauce and filling to add flavour.”
Nienaber adds that in South Africa we have the opportunity to increase carcass value. Producers, processors and chefs should pay much more attention to what each carcass can offer by changing the marketing as well as the presentation strategy on the plate, she says. “There is a unique cut and flavour profile for each consumer preference. Experts will present the audience with alternative cutting and cooking methods of Wagyu beef.”
True to the character of the conference, the feedback loop will lead back through the value chain to the producer with pertinent questions such as how to package and present the product to speak to different consumers and clients.
More than a congress – an opportunity to connect
For anyone involved in the red meat or niche beef value chain, this conference offers much more than two days of presentations. It is an opportunity to step outside the day-to-day business of producing cattle and look at the entire value chain through the eyes of the people who influence it – from breeders and producers to processors, marketers, chefs and, ultimately, the consumer.
With international speakers bringing experience and perspectives from some of the world’s leading Wagyu markets, delegates will have the opportunity to benchmark their own practices against international thinking and to discover where South Africa can position itself better in the premium beef space. The conference creates a rare opportunity to meet others who share the same passion for Wagyu and elevating their beef brands. Conversations between producers, industry experts, processors, and market players can be as valuable as the formal programme, opening doors to new ideas, collaborations, and business opportunities.
The Stellenbosch setting adds another dimension to the experience. Delegates will not only be exposed to the latest thinking in Wagyu production and marketing but will do so in one of South Africa’s most renowned food and wine regions. For anyone serious about building the value of the Wagyu brand, this is an opportunity to listen, question, connect and take new ideas home. The message is simple: don’t just follow the value chain – become part of shaping its future.
Visit www.worldwagyu2026.com to sign up for the conference or send an email to info@worldwagyu2026.com – Izak Hofmeyr, Plaas Media, and Deja Nienaber, Protea Group of Companies
