Wagyu Producer Day 2.0: A behind the scenes look at AMI for Wagyu producers

“It was a bloody brilliant day. Very hard to get away from the farm at the moment

but I am so glad I made it.”

That was the sentiment from a producer who attended the 2026 Wagyu Steakholder Collective and you’d be hard pressed to find a better way to capture the tone of the day. 

The 2026 Wagyu Producer Day showed that many wagyu producers supplying into the Andrews Meat Industries (AMI) wagyu program didn’t have much awareness of the scale of AMI’s operations or the brands their cattle are sold under – but they wanted to. 

This year around 20 producers got a behind the scenes morning tour of the AMI facility in Sydney where they saw firsthand how the wagyu primals are cut to order before they enter the food service market. 

In the afternoon producers headed to Sala Dining to enjoy a menu specially curated by chef Danny Russo showcasing the very best of AMI wagyu. Dry aged Tajima wagyu t-bone with pickled walnut crema and jus? Yes please. 

Many producers commented on how valuable it was to see Danny utilise the full range of cuts, showing his respect for the whole animal. By investing extra time he transformed lesser-used cuts such as the intercostal, tongue and inside skirt into standout dishes including the DR300, an inside skirt rolled and presented to resemble a scotch fillet.

Producers also took the chance to chat directly with the chefs who purchase their wagyu and share on-farm practices, sustainability, emissions and the people and stories behind the top product. 

A select number of chefs and procurement teams from Sydney and Brisbane also joined the lunch to connect with the producers supporting AMI’s award-winning wagyu brands, and hear from AMI CEO Peter Andrews who shared industry updates and what’s ahead for the future of wagyu. A dedicated Q&A session wrapped up the feast. 

And while the event may be over, its matchmaking magic continues. Several producers said they valued speaking directly with chefs and some have extended invitations to visit their properties. One has even arranged to visit a Brisbane venue while attending the Australian Wagyu Association’s WagyuEdge conference, following plans made with the restaurant group’s head chef.

A post-event survey revealed the crowd favourites from the day were the behind the scenes look at the cutting floor, food service and pre-cooked meals areas, and the restaurant experience.

Other producers said the whole day stood out compared to previous producer events, with the tour a highlight.

“It was great to see the enthusiasm of staff and managers, and really impressive to watch the staff all working at their stations as we entered through each doorway,” one commented. 

The day reinforced the value of bringing the supply chain together and the power of people just having a chat about a topic they all live and breathe. As one producer summed it up:

“Everything was fantastic from the day’s format through to the menu. The mix of producers through to end users was a great mix and I truly believe everyone got something out of today.”