What separates New Zealand lamb from the flock?

In restaurants everywhere, when New Zealand lamb is on the menu, it is called out by origin. Discerning customers around the globe know that lamb from our tiny, green country will be tender, succulent, and guaranteed to put a smile on any face.

Just why is New Zealand’s lamb so good? We’ve been down on the farm, literally, chatting with Kiwi farmers and learning exactly what it takes to grow the perfect lamb.

They reckon there are five reasons why New Zealand lamb has earned its place at the top of the order sheet in kitchens everywhere.

Raised in the great outdoors, naturally

New Zealand’s long sunshine hours coupled with an abundance of rainfall make for prime growing conditions for lambs. This ideal weather lets sheep roam the fields all year round, in a climate that most farmers only dream of.

Grass-fed goodness

Nothing needs adding to the feed of New Zealand lambs. They have it all, right there in the grass, which grows abundantly thanks to the ideal climate. This grass-fed diet lends itself to the succulence of the meat, without the need for additive-laden supplementary feeds used elsewhere. It also results in a leaner, less fatty meat, sought after in today’s health-conscious world.

It has a lower carbon footprint1

Yes, this one might surprise you. Lamb shipped from New Zealand to tables around the world usually has a lower carbon footprint than locally produced lamb.  Why? The efficiency of farming practices in New Zealand, the low intensity of farming, and the country’s focus on sustainability, balance out any further distance travelled to get there. And it gets better – most New Zealand sheep farms contain plenty of bushland and trees, which absorb about 90 percent of their emissions, meaning they are already close to being carbon neutral.2

It’s better on your wallet too

Grown naturally in the outdoors, New Zealand lamb has lower production costs. With no need for additional food, a greatly reduced chance of disease, and short distances to local processing plants, costs are kept down for Kiwi farmers. And fortunately for the rest of us, this natural method of raising lamb translates to lower prices at the market.

That mouth-watering taste

New Zealand lamb is naturally packed with goodness. Those perfect growing conditions result in a product which is deliciously tender, succulent, and naturally lean. Being free-range, grass-fed and free of additives and hormones guarantees that the Maimoa lamb you pick will be stacked with flavour.

For the best of the best from New Zealand, choose a Maimoa lamb product which has been handpicked with care by our experienced professionals, and then aged before shipping, locking in the tenderness for which New Zealand lamb is so famous.

 

  1. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/rural/119759/nz-lamb-has-lower-carbon-footprint-than-uk-lamb-study and https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/the-guardians-advice-for-british-environmentalists-eat-new-zealand-lamb/ZQR5MJZ3CT3Q257MYDMKJYUCCQ/ 
  2. https://beeflambnz.com/net-carbon-report 

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