Seattle, WA – July 12, 2017 – Japanese A5 Wagyu beef imported directly from Mirai Farm in the Kagoshima prefecture of Japan is now available from food tech startup Crowd Cow (www.crowdcow.com). Available on a first come, first serve basis, beef lovers can buy specific portions of a Japanese A5 Wagyu cow, claim their favorite cuts, and become a “steak-holder” to enjoy the rarest and most exclusive beef in the world, legendary for it’s exceptional quality, flavor, and extensive marbling. Crowd Cow will be offering up only the best cuts of Japanese A5 Wagyu beef, including rib steaks, New York steaks and tenderloins, which will ship to arrive before the end of the month. Some cuts will be available for as little as $79 each. Due to quotas in Japan restricting the amount of Wagyu that can be exported each year, sales will only be available while supplies last.
“In Japan, A5 Wagyu is a prized delicacy and known for literally melting in your mouth, but it is very difficult to find in the U.S. Even when you do find A5 Wagyu, it’s only available at select restaurants such as the Wynn resort in Las Vegas where it is featured for $640 to $880 per pound," said Yusuke Amamiya, Crowd Cow customer from Japan currently living in Seattle. “It is the most unbelieveable tasting beef you will ever have and it’s amazing that I can now order it online and have it delivered right to my doorstep at a fraction of the cost."
Wagyu: Raised With One Goal in Mind -- Supreme Flavor
Japanese A5 Wagyu contains mostly monounsaturated fatty acids ("the good fats"), which are rich in Omega-3s. In fact, the unique fat composition of Japanese A5 wagyu gives it a melting point of only 77°F, meaning it will not only melt in your mouth, but also your hand. Even the best USDA prime angus beef favored in most American steakhouses reaches less than half the level of marbling of Japanese A5 Wagyu.
Crowd Cow’s Japanese A5 Wagyu beef has received the highest possible mark from the Japan Meat Grading Association which gives each carcass a score based on its yield (A-C) and level of marbling, firmness, color and overall quality (1-5).
The Crowd Cow Advantage: Direct Sourcing
Exports of Japanese Wagyu were banned prior to 2012. Since then, small quantities have been permitted by the USDA into the US, but export lanes have also been opened to other countries, including parts of China, Thailand and Singapore. This has only increased competition and demand for wagyu, especially for premium grades like A5, and the limited amounts that do reach the US typically come in through importers and distributors2 who have worked hard to secure the relationships necessary to obtain their supply. These distributors sell to high-end restaurants who can afford to pass along these costs and charge their customers a high-enough price to still make a return, but making it difficult for wagyu lovers to find A5 wagyu that they can cook in the comfort of their own home, prepared it the way they want to. Enter Crowd Cow.
“Japanese Wagyu beef is rarely imported, and when it is, it usually goes through a distributor, so the final customer and even the restaurant are several layers removed from the farmer. ” said Joe Heitzeberg, Crowd Cow’s co-founder (who happens to be fluent in Japanese). “It’s an honor and privilege to have developed a relationship with Itoham and Mirai Farm that we do not take lightly after personally seeing and experiencing the commitment by their team to preserve the integrity of the beautiful heritage of Japanese Wagyu beef.”
About Crowd Cow
Crowd Cow was founded in 2015 by startup veterans Ethan Lowry and Joe Heitzeberg. Backed by the likes of NFL great Joe Montana, the founders of Zulily and venture firms such as Fuel Capital and Maveron, Crowd Cow makes it fun and convenient for consumers nationwide to order from independent farms, and enjoy the great taste and transparency of sustainably-raised beef.
For more information, please check out our About page, or visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
