AUSSIE

BEEF & LAMB Having grown up on a large sheep farm outside Longreach in outback Queensland, where he worked the land and learned about ideal animalrearing conditions, expat DAVID BEATTIE knows quality meat. Lucky for us, he’s brought it to Singapore in the

What inspired you to start The Meat Club?

Australia has an abundance of great, freshh produce, which is very easily taken forr granted. When I moved to Singapore a little over two years ago, I was frustratedd that good quality red meat was hard to o come by. It was often frozen or chilled d with a short shelf life, and priced at a point I couldn’t afford.

I spoke with a close friend that runss a restaurant chain here in Singapore,, and we realised there was a businesss opportunity in delivering quality meatt to customers’ doorsteps, without the e overhead of a retail store. After speakingg with some Australian suppliers, we e secured a product that complemented thee idea of creating an online presence, and d The Meat Club was born.

Why do you import your meat only from Australia?

Being Australian, it’s a natural fit. We e wanted to showcase the best produce e Australia has to offer, as it’s synonymous s with best in practice. Beyond that, Australian agriculture standards are second to none, with a great reputation for quality, safety and consistency. This is due to both environmental conditions and the rigorous standards that are administered by industry bodies and government agencies, including Meat Standards Australia ( MSA); these standards are aligned with AVA import requirements, which are just as rigorous as Australia’s. Being able to say that our beef is MSAgraded provides our members with an assurance that they are getting the best produce available.

So, how does The Meat Club work?

It’s an online service that brings restaurant-quality, chilled (never frozen) meat to your doorstep. This enables you to enjoy beef and lamb when you want it, without planning for thawing time, trips to the butcher or even asking friends and family to bring it from Australia in their suitcases.

How we do this involves speed, technology and a new way of purchasing. When you sign up for “Auto Pilot” ordering with us, you get a delivery every four weeks, immediately on import. Our non-minced products have a shelf life of up to four weeks in the fridge due to the vacuum packaging technology that we use. At the end of the four weeks your order is delivered again, providing you with a seamless service that reduces food waste in the supply chain. The “Auto Pilot” option also offers great flexibility, as you can modify, defer or cancel your order at any time while benefitting from ongoing convenience and savings.

If members want to try our services before signing up for “Auto Pilot”, we also offer the option of placing one-off orders with next-day delivery. Depending on the timing of these orders, the meat may have a slightly shorter shelf life. It’s a high-quality product, though, so members still benefit.

Members can either build their own meat packs, customised to their own consumption habits and family size, or they can choose from one of our curated packs.

What has done well here in Singapore?

Our lean mince is particularly popular, as it has 10 percent fat content – traditional supermarkets stock minces with around 20 percent fat content. Our rib-eye, with a nice amount of marbling, is our second most popular cut.

So, what’s next?

We are working hard on initiatives that reward our members and provide a better service. For instance, together with Club Rewards, we have a referral progamme that is up and running. We have also kicked off a partnership with local restaurant Club Meatballs, where customers can meet our team, self-collect orders and sample our lean mince.

What’s your favourite cut of meat and how do you like to prepare it?

My favourite has to be the eye fillet steak. It’s a smaller but thicker cut of meat (roughly 36mm), and is our most tender, with an unbeatable flavour.

I like to barbecue my eye fillet so the full flavour of the beef comes out. To do this, I rub the steak in avocado oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper and let it rest outside of the fridge for 10 minutes. On a very hot barbecue grill, I cook the meat for about five minutes on one side and four minutes on the other for medium-rare; I’m careful not to poke the meat unnecessarily. I then remove it from the heat before immediately placing it in foil for 10 minutes; this is an important but often overlooked step – it allows the steak to continue cooking and the juices to redistribute before eating, making it much juicer and more tender.

Where do you like to eat Australian food here in Singapore?

I love eating Australian produce at home, and at barbecues with family and friends.