WA butchers are tops at Hong Kong Expo

The event is held every two years and is part of one of the biggest food Expos in Asia.

The victorious Mt Barker Free Rangers team members were Nathan Holmes, Creative Meats and Herdsman Fresh, Jeremy Sanderson-Brown, Exclusive Meats, Swanbourne and Scarborough, Zane Parsons, Buckingham Meats and Mt Barker Chicken sales manager Andrew Bonnell.

Competitors from the United States, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia had to break down a combination of beef, pork, lamb and chicken and present the meats in a retail format during a live Masterchef-style competition over three days.

Their work was scrutinised by four international judges.

Mt Barker Free Range Chicken general manager Michael Tarling said the competition focused on the essential skills required for a successful career as a multi-skilled and multi-disciplined butcher within the food manufacturing and services industry.

“It was a butchery-skills challenge,” Mr Tarling said.

“They were briefed and were given a time and had to present their display over three days and then were given an award.”

Mr Tarling said the WA team members were long-term customers of Mt Barker Free Range Chicken.

The participants were awarded HKD $10,000 ($1700) and other prizes.

Mr Tarling said the Expo wasn’t just about the competition, but showed the skills of the WA butchers and attracted attention to “the art of butchering”.

With Hong Kong importing 90 per cent of its food, Mr Tarling said the event’s success added to the launch of its products in the export market.

“We launched our Mr Barker free range chicken and pork in Hong Kong a month ago,” he said.

“We are supplying 50 retail stores in Hong Kong, we get product sent twice a week.

“It is our first export market, but we are looking for other markets.”