Sizzling Dexter Beef sales drive expansion by award winning processor

Northern Ireland's Crossgar Meats is stepping up production to meet the soaring demand for grass-fed and dry aged Dexter beef in the UK and Ireland particularly from high-end hotels and restaurants. To meet the demand, Crossgar Meats is expanding sourcing of Dexter animals in the UK and Ireland.

Crossgar Meats, part of Crossgar Foodservice, has seen sales of richly flavoured Dexter beef grow by 50 per cent in the past year, stimulated by a series of UK Great Taste Awards in 2010 for products such as its 8oz Dexter sirloin steak, 8oz rib eye steak and 6oz homemade burger. Dexter fillet steak also featured on the Great British Menu in 2009.

The company, which is based at Downpatrick in County Down, already has a network of approved Dexter breeders in Northern Ireland and the Republic who enjoy enhanced returns for their animals which are reared using traditional farming techniques.

The distinctively flavoured beef is hand processed by Crossgar Meats and marketed under the successful Provenance Collection which emphasises the traceability and source of the raw materials.

Conor Bell, director of Crossgar Meats, says: "We are currently operating at full capacity to meet the demand for the beef. This means Dexter breeders throughout the UK and Ireland can have confidence that we have a developing market for their beef.

"Dexter is a slow growing breed of cattle grown in small herds across Ireland and parts of Britain, a real Slow Food. Fed purely on lush grass and raised using traditional farming methods, the cattle develop unique characteristics. When dry aged for a minimum of 21 days, the result is simply an exceptional piece of beef with exquisite flavour and texture.

"Dexter beef is becoming extremely popular with diners looking increasingly for premium steaks and burgers when they eat out. Dexter is the smallest breed of cattle and produce naturally marbled beef with a unique flavour. Dexter cattle are also naturally early maturing and don't need supplementary feeding.

"Most people say it reminds them of how beef use to taste. The growing popularity of the beef with foodservice clients is now attracting interest particularly among upmarket retailers in Britain," he adds.

Crossgar Meats has been developing Dexter beef products over the past five years and also rears its own cattle on a farm at Crossgar in County Down.Crossgar Meats, established for over 25 years, operates from a state of the art factory and is BRC accredited. It has BS 8555 Environmental Management.

Customers include Tesco, Sodexo, Compass, Hilton and public bodies in the Republic and Northern Ireland.

The Dexter originated in the South Western region of Ireland around 1776. They are descended from the predominately black cattle of the early Celts. Dexter cattle were first introduced into England in 1882.