64 | From price takers to price makers Karen Phelps A group of mates’ mission to revolutionise New Zealand’s beef industry has reached a new milestone with the opening of a boutique butchery in Auckland’s Orakei, marking a significant step in the journey from price takers to price makers. “It was always a dream of mine to get away from the conventional system that we have in New Zealand. I wanted to create a programme where we knew the value of a finished beef cattle before it was born,” says Scotty Cochrane, third-generation farmer and owner of SJC Speckle Park and co-founder of Maple and Marble. The Maple and Marble butchery, located at 78 Coates Avenue, represents the culmination of a journey that began with a mission to address the wasteful practice of bobby calf slaughter in the dairy industry. The venture combines Scotty’s farming heritage with innovative Speckle Park genetics to create a sustainable, traceable meat supply chain. “We stopped killing bobby calves on our dairy farm and invested in Speckle Park genetics as it’s a crossbred animal easily detected visually and has a lot of carcass quality with the texture and flavour of the meat second to none,” explains Scotty. The journey to establish their farm-to-fork business – with SJC Speckle Park supplying to Maple and Marble - hasn’t been without its challenges. However, the breakthrough came when they secured their first high-end restaurant client. “It was a humbling experience seeing our name on the menu at The Grill at SkyCity,” says Scotty. While this prestigious partnership handles the premium cuts, the team’s commitment to whole carcass utilisation led them to develop the retail butchery concept. Maple and Marble, co-owned by Ben Annabell, Seamus Barden, and operations manager Barney Cook alongside Scotty, maintains complete control of the supply chain. Their products are processed in Southland before being transported to Auckland, ensuring quality control from farm to customer. “It’s all Southland grown, no one in the middle, and all coming direct to the consumer. We’re really proud of that,” says Scotty. The business offers two distinct product lines: a Platinum Label featuring purebred Speckle Park beef, and a Gold Label, which crosses Speckle Park genetics with dairy cows. The Orakei butchery will offer customers access to premium cuts, specialty products like biltong and beef brisket bacon, and quarter beast options to promote whole carcass utilization. The store’s location in an affluent area of Auckland was strategically chosen to meet the growing demand for high-quality, traceable meat products. “After three years of pain, we are coming out the other side and have regular income from our own supply chain that is sustaining our business,” explains Scotty. The venture represents a significant shift in New Zealand’s traditional meat industry model, offering MEAT & WOOL » SJC Speckle Park The venture represents a significant shift in New Zealand’s traditional meat industry model. full traceability from “semen straw to fork”, he says. With its combination of farming knowledge, innovative breeding practices, and a direct-toconsumer approach, Scotty hopes that Maple and Marble is positioning itself at the forefront of New Zealand’s premium beef market, proving that breaking away from conventional systems can lead to sustainable success. “There’s a lot of effort that goes into building a stud in Southland and bucking the trend,” says Scotty. “There’s real hardship that you go through to grow a market from the farm gate and take it to the country. We’re extremely proud to get our little farm out into the big wide world.” WWW.PRIMERANGEFRESH.CO.NZ EXPORT QUALITY MEAT AT AFFORDABLE PRICES INVERCARGILL LORNEVILLE CHRISTCHURCH SYDENHAM CHRISTCHURCH BELFAST AUCKLAND GLEN INNES LEGAL Chris Menzies | Partner Winton | 03 236 7000 We are proud to support SJC Speckle Park www.rurallivestock.co.nz Rodger Eade 0274 730 816 Proud to work alongside SJC Speckle Park
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=