Australian Steak Question

[liuzhou]

One of my local supermarkets here in China has started importing steaks from a company by the name of JBS Australia. Mr Google tells me that this is Australia's largest meat processing company (but a  subsidiary of JBS USA).

 

I am not familiar with the brand and, as the steaks are on the expensive side, I'd like to solicit any opinions from our Australian members before I commit to buying any. They look well marbled but a bit on the thin side.

 

Here is their Cultural Revolution style promotional leaflet

 

and the other side

 

 

and a close-up of some of the steaks
 

Thanks

 

 

[Captain]

Never head of them. Looks as though they are a large abattoir.  Some of there beef supply are from good producers but I wouldn't expect to pay top dollar.

[Martin Fisher]

Interesting!

 

[liuzhou]

5 hours ago, Captain said:

Never head of them.

 

They operate under a number of different brands. These are the beef brands.

[sartoric]

I'd never heard of them either, so googled. The meat is stocked at our local superbutcher. I don't eat steak or I'd try one for you. Not much help, sorry.

[IEATRIO]

JBS is Brazilian company, and one of the largest meat processors in the world.  They own Swift and Pilgrim's Pride brands in the United States and Australia.  They are heavily involved in the ongoing Brazilian bribery scandals, and might fairly be said to be a disreputable corporate citizen.  They are very much a mass market industrial producer, and at least in Brazil is not known for high quality products.  The Cultural Revolution propaganda themed advertising is a large turn-off to me as well.  I would give it all a miss.

[liuzhou]

8 minutes ago, IEATRIO said:

The Cultural Revolution propaganda themed advertising is a large turn-off to me as well.  I would give it all a miss.

 

To be fair(ish), the Cultural Revolution artwork was produced by the local importer and possibly has no real connection to JBS.  That said, the meat does seem to be highly industrialised (as are the sausages imported by the same local company - as mentioned here).

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I know nothing about the JBS company, but if the marbling on the actual steaks is as good as shown in the flyer picture, I would expect to pay a lot. I have seen marbling like that only in pictures, and if I did see it in real life, probably couldn't afford it. Especially the tenderloin, which I assume is fillet mignon. The ones I see here are not marbled, but they are tender, so some folks really like them, and they command a high price. They don't have enough flavor for me, but I'd be interested in trying in such a well marbled specimin.

 

By expensive, I mean I can buy ribeyes, T-bone/Porterhouse, NY strip steaks for $7.99 and sometimes $6.99 on sale. They are $12.99 and higher not on sale. Fillet is higher, but since I don't like it, haven't checked the price in years. For the marbling level you showed, I could expect the price to double or much more, judging from the more flush members' accounts of their fantastic meat purchases and meals.

[Cronker]

Being in Australia, and in the industry, I can say I have likewise never heard of them.  It's likely they are further up the chain than the purveyors we deal with.