Yarrie eyes beef growth

A Pilbara cattle station is continuing to build its WA customer base after opening up its produce to the Perth market in April.

Yarrie Station owner Annabelle Coppin said there had been great support for the station’s brand, Outback Beef, which is being sold out of a coolroom van on a Swan Valley road at weekends.

“There’s been strong demand, which is a really good sign we’re slowly building our customer base,” she said.

Ms Coppin, who runs about 5000 Droughtmaster cross cattle, said the long-term goal of getting local beef back to the Pilbara was still the main focus.

“Our first aim is to grow in the Pilbara,” she said. “We want to get to every Pilbara town in the next 12 months so we can start making it viable.

“You’ve got to open up your markets to make it all viable, which is why we’ve gone to Perth.”

She said the station was passionate about supplying quality beef to the Pilbara because people were appreciative and open-minded when it came to trying different cuts.

“Our beef does taste like the Pilbara,” she said.

“I feel that I’ve always been passionate about keeping flavour in the beef.

“That’s the angle we’re trying to go down.

“Every beef has a different story — ours is the flavour of the Pilbara. That’s why I’m trying to target Pilbara people.”

She said feedback from the Hedland community had been fantastic since Outback Beef products hit the shelves of North West Liquor in Port and South Hedland in March.

“You’ve got to be able to find someone with a good cold supply chain that is reliable with a good working relationship, which is why it’s working really well in the Pilbara,” Ms Coppin said. “We’ve got a lot of overheads — by the time we pay for everything, for how much beef we’re selling, our cost of production is very high.”

The station is in the early stages of launching merchandise and providing recipe cards in packs to continue to grow and promote the brand.

Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association chief executive Emma White said there was a fantastic opportunity for various producers to look at opportunities like Outbeef Beef had done.

“There’s a fantastic opportunity for various producers to look at niche market opportunities like Annabelle has done,” she said.

“It’s fabulous to see the support from the Pilbara community ... particularly in Hedland and Newman.

They seem to have found a concept that’s working, so that’s fantastic to see them promoting the benefits and the brand of the Pilbara.”