The secret ingredient behind growing global demand isn't on the menu

Fresh from a busy schedule across North America and arriving in Australia for the latest Aussie Beef Mates tour, MLA’s Market Development Manager for North America Andy Groneman’s focus is simple: helping chefs better understand the product in front of them.

Whether that means standing beside a fire pit, walking through a processing facility or translating technical content into multiple languages, he sees knowledge as the key ingredient behind growing demand for Australian beef and lamb around the world.

His latest visit to Australia comes at an interesting time for the global red meat industry.

Recent discussions around the newly announced 300,000-tonne beef quota into the United States have sparked debate among American producers. While Andy viewed the move largely through a political lens, he believed it reinforced the need for exporters to continue telling the Australian red meat story.

“Beef prices are up for all kinds of reasons,” he said, pointing to rising labour, transport and production costs alongside ongoing supply challenges.

With US cattle numbers sitting at historically low levels, American producers have finally begun seeing improved returns.

Andy said any policy move perceived to increase imports risked creating uncertainty for local producers considering rebuilding their herds.

More importantly, it highlights the importance of continuing to communicate the key attributes of Australian products.

“We really have to be on the front foot,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity to continue our work talking about the quality, the provenance and the sustainability of the Australian product.”

While quota debates continue in the US, Andy's focus during his Australian visit is firmly on the next generation of chefs.

This week's Aussie Beef Mates tour will bring together 21 chefs from across the globe for a farm-to-fork experience through Victoria's Yarra Valley and Gippsland regions.

The program will expose participants to every stage of the supply chain from production through to processing and preparation.

For many of the chefs it will be their first visit to a cattle property.

“Some of these chefs have never been on a ranch, have never been to a farm,” Andy said.

“It's going to be really eye-opening for them to actually see what we talk about.”

The tours have become one of Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) most effective relationship-building initiatives. Bringing together chefs from different countries, cultures and culinary backgrounds creates a unique environment for learning and collaboration.

More often than not, the bonds formed through a shared appreciation for food outlast the trip itself.

According to Andy, by the end of the week the differences between participants had largely disappeared.

“Everybody is on the same page, friends for life,” he said.

Food, of course, remains at the heart of the experience.

The tour will kick off with a masterclass featuring Andy along with other Aussie Beef champions, Tarek Ibrahim and Sam Burke. Together they will showcase a range of preparations using brisket, chuck and tri-tip, demonstrating the potential of underutilised cuts and helping chefs unlock new menu opportunities.

The focus reflects a broader industry trend towards maximising value across the carcase and encouraging greater utilisation of cuts beyond the traditional premium offerings.

That same mindset is driving another project Andy has been working on during his time in Sydney – the continued expansion of the Aussie Meat Academy digital platform.

What began as a collection of technical resources has evolved into a global learning network.

During his visit to MLA headquarters, Andy and the technical team filmed new content to help convert in-person training into digital education that could be accessed anywhere in the world.

He said the opportunity was unlike anything the industry had seen before.

“We can bring Japanese content to bear, we can bring stuff from the UAE, we can bring domestic US content and share all of those flavour profiles and techniques across the globe,” Andy said.

Advances in AI-powered translation are helping to accelerate that vision.

What once required significant time and resources can now be adapted and shared across markets with remarkable speed, allowing chefs, butchers and foodservice operators to learn from one another regardless of language barriers.

The result is a digital platform that brings together global expertise through the lens of Australian red meat.

Among the latest content being developed is a series focused on one of Andy's favourite topics: low-and-slow cooking.

He explained that while customers increasingly sought barbecue-inspired flavours, not every hospitality venue had the space or equipment needed to run a traditional smoker.

The solution? Modern commercial kitchens.

Using advanced combi ovens with moisture controls, convection systems and smoke capabilities, chefs can recreate many of the flavour characteristics associated with traditional barbecue while maintaining consistency and efficiency.

“We're going to take those flavour profiles that would normally require an offset smoker and bring them into a commercial kitchen,” Andy said.

The demonstrations feature brisket, chuck and lamb shoulder prepared in multiple ways, from sandwiches and pizzas through to more refined plated dishes.

The objective is to show operators how they can deliver premium low-and-slow experiences without the need for specialist barbecue equipment.

Beyond Australia, demand for both Australian red meat products and technical education continues to grow.

Over recent months, Andy supported events and customer activities across Los Angeles, Florida, Canada and other key export markets, helping deliver product launches, distributor engagement and chef education programs.

“It's so much fun right now to be in market because the demand for the knowledge and the learning is there,” he said.

The momentum continues to grow in Canada with the appointment of Toronto-based Business Development Manager, David Dupuy.

The boots-on-the-ground presence reflects MLA’s commitment to supporting a market that presents strong opportunities for Australian exporters.

MLA has also taken steps to better engage French-speaking customers through the launch of a Canadian French edition of the Handbook of Australian Meat.

The initiative addresses a longstanding gap in Quebec and other French-speaking regions to ensure butchers and chefs have access to technical information tailored specifically to their market and language needs.

For Andy it is another example of meeting customers where they are.

Whether it's translating educational resources, producing multilingual digital content, hosting chefs on Australian farms or teaching low-and-slow cooking techniques in a commercial kitchen, the goal remains the same: helping people better understand and appreciate Australian red meat.

And judging by the aroma drifting through MLA headquarters during his Sydney visit, he's making a compelling case, one brisket at a time.