Why Buy High-End Proteins from Food Related?

When it comes to making delicious dishes, the protein is the real star of the plate. Chefs know that having the highest quality proteins available is imperative to crafting creative menus, and they demand the best. That’s why Food Related is constantly on the lookout for new producers to partner with, sourcing the most amazing proteins for every recipe.

To provide chefs with the right ingredients for innovative, high-end dishes, Food Related works with producers of all sizes, based on the quality of their products and the value they bring to both professional and home kitchens. From Japanese and Australian Wagyu, to Nova Scotian Lobster, to Wagyu-Quality Black Angus, and much, much more, we have the most delicious proteins for gourmet dishes and simple menus alike.

Sourcing the Best

Food Related is committed to sourcing only the finest products for your kitchen. Our team carefully selects producers who not only meet the highest standards of quality, but also offer incredible value to chefs. We work with specialized farms, fisheries, and suppliers around the globe who prioritize superior craftsmanship, ethical practices, and a shared dedication to excellence. This rigorous selection process ensures that when chefs shop with us, they’re getting products that not only taste extraordinary, but also offer the best value for any culinary creation.

What makes it a high-end protein?

Although all of our proteins are premium products, only the best of the best can be classified as “high-end” proteins. These are the highest-quality gourmet products, at home on upscale menus. For meats, this includes products like our full line of Wagyu from both Japan and Australia, Prime-Quality Irish Beef, Spanish Iberico Pork, and Wagyu-quality Black Angus beef from New Zealand. On the seafood side, a selection of cold water-caught Nova Scotian lobster meat and tails in a variety of sizes. Here’s a bit more about some of our favorite high-end proteins:

Japanese A4 & A5 Wagyu from Kagoshima, Japan

Hailing from the prefecture of Kagoshima, located on the southernmost tip of Japan, our Wagyu is among the highest quality Black Wagyu beef in the world. Kagoshima is known for its expertise in breeding and raising Tajima Black cows, producing more Wagyu than any other prefecture in Japan. In fact, Kagoshima’s Wagyu herds make up about 20% of the entire country’s Japanese Black cattle population.

Rated on a scale from A1-A5 for intramuscular marbling, texture, and color, Kagoshima Wagyu tops the list with amazingly marbled, A4 and A5 graded cuts. Tajima cattle’s unique ability to store their fat throughout the muscle is enhanced by a diet of high-energy grains, grass, and hay, and a completely stress-free environment that contributes to the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and supreme flavor of the meat.

The result? The silkiest bite of beef you’ll ever try, with a buttery flavor to match. The meat is a delicate pink, with countless streaks of bright white fat spiderwebbing throughout the meat that quite literally melts on the tongue. Japanese Wagyu is a truly indulgent experience, best enjoyed when cooked and seasoned simply to truly savor its flavor.

Want to add decadent Kagoshima Japanese Wagyu to your next menu? Food Related offers a variety of cuts - from the usual steakhouse favorites like ribeye, striploin, and tenderloin, to more unusual cuts like chuck roll and rib cap - to suit any menu and price point.




Australian Wagyu

One of the world’s biggest producers of Wagyu beef, Australia first imported Japanese Wagyu cattle to the country in 1997. Today, they have grown their Wagyu population to be the largest herd outside of Japan, exporting nearly 90% of their produced beef internationally, and especially to their biggest customer, the United States.

Australian Wagyu takes a lot of its farming practices from Japanese Wagyu producers, focusing on feeding the highest-quality, hormone-free grains, rearing cattle for a much longer time than conventional beef to develop a rich marbling and flavor, and raising their herds in a stress-free environment.

Where Australian Wagyu differs is in the breeding. Black Wagyu cattle from Japan are bred with the Black Angus breed of the region to better adapt to the Australian climate. Australian Wagyu is graded on a scale of F1-F4 for breed purity, with F4 being considered “purebred” Black Wagyu at 93.7% Wagyu genetics or more. The marbling of all beef in Australia is graded on the AUS-MEAT scale, with Australian Wagyu consistently rating 6-9+ for outstanding marbling.

Australian Wagyu beef is deliciously marbled, like Japanese Wagyu, but with a more steak-like bite and a beefier flavor. Although deliciously succulent and rich, a whole Australian Wagyu steak can be fully enjoyed in one meal, as compared to the richness of Japanese Wagyu, where a little truly goes a long way. Australian Wagyu can be cooked similarly to conventional beef, but is best enjoyed with a shorter cook time to fully enjoy the marbling within.

Food Related carries a wide variety of cuts from multiple Australian Wagyu producers, from steakhouse cuts to off-cuts and everything in between.

Master Selection provides F4 purebred Wagyu, with their cattle coming from a single-source farm in Queensland, Australia, fed on a diet of high-quality wheat and barley for a minimum of 400 days,

Phoenix Beef offers single-source Wagyu from F1-F3 breeding, fed the same high-quality grains for a minimum of 365 days,

and Kerwee produces award-winning F1 Wagyu on family-owned farms, fed for over 400 days on a diet of wheat and barley.




Ocean Beef Black Angus

Offering truly exceptional meat at an equally exceptional price, Ocean Beef produces Black Angus beef with Wagyu-level marbling. Raised by the ocean off the coast of Canterbury, New Zealand, pure Black Angus breed cattle spend 18 months freely grazing in vast green pastures. The very best of the herd are then hand-picked to be finished for at least 135 days on a balanced, high-quality blend of grains like wheat, barley, maize silage, molasses, ryegrass, and alfalfa.

The resulting beef carries all the nutritious benefits of pasture-raised, with the remarkable marbling of grain-fed, and none of the added hormones, subtherapeutic antibiotics, or GMOs of conventional beef. Ocean Beef is produced under strict, Japanese-style standards for animal welfare and feeding, and graded on the Japanese Grading System for its supreme marbling.

Ocean Beef is consistently tender and juicy, with a deeply beefy flavor and intense marbling. This beef ups the Black Angus game, delivering award-winning beef to restaurants around the world. This premium product is the perfect way to elevate your menu at an incredibly affordable price point.




Nova Scotian Lobster

Known as the “Lobster Capital of Canada”, Nova Scotia is home to Wild by Nature, founded by local families with the knowledge of generations of lobster fishing. Caught in the pristine, cold waters of the North Atlantic, Wild by Nature Lobster is pulled fresh from the ocean and flash-frozen in brine to preserve the natural flavor and texture of the lobster.

The icy sea off the coast of Nova Scotia allows the lobsters to grow at a slower pace, developing an extra depth of flavor and dense, buttery meat that perfectly complements any seafood dish. Food Related carries a variety of lobster meat and raw tails in several sizes to suit your menu.

Why buy high-end proteins from Food Related?

When you shop with us for your kitchen, you’ll find a full range of delicious, top-tier products designed to suit a variety of menus. Our producers are hand-sourced for value and quality to ensure you have the very best for your kitchen at the very best price. Our goal is to build a long-lasting relationships with you, and work with you to find the best solutions for your business, your home kitchen, and beyond.

Shop with us today and explore all of our amazing protein options!