Our Story
Rosendale Wagyu stands on the shoulders of a 60-year legacy that started with Tom Hixson. His passion and expertise for quality produce would take him to the heart of London’s meat trade, where he would firmly establish himself, and the Tom Hixson name, for decades to come.
Since the early 1960s, Tom Hixson of Smithfield have been mastering the art of quality meat procurement. Always striving, and never compromising on premium service and great taste.
Today, the family business is in its third generation and is committed to honouring the traditions and integrity of our craft, which sees the pursuit of perfection continue.
By blending our rich heritage, a curious mindset, and the ambitions of a new generation we set our sights on sourcing with the world’s finest Wagyu.
This is where Rosendale Wagyu was born…
Origin
At Rosendale Wagyu we work closely with our trusted Irish farmers whose pursuit for quality and perfection matches our own.
The climate of the Wicklow mountains and verdant Irish pastures lend themselves greatly to rearing and producing the best Wagyu beef.
In addition, the combination of their meticulous farming methods, exceptional breeding and high-quality feeding programme means we can deliver the quality and taste of Rosendale Wagyu time and time again.
Breed
To achieve the highest quality associated with Rosendale Wagyu, the health and happiness of our cows is at the heart of our breeding and rearing practices. Selecting a breed with exceptional genetics is essential in creating our world class produce.
This is why, alongside our farming partners we selected a F1 Wagyu breed. The breed is known for its ability to produce highly marbled beef synonymous with Wagyu and with this we achieve wonderful results, and the unique taste of Rosendale.
To guarantee the high level marbling and the grading scores expected with world class Wagyu, we believe the optimal age to raise our cattle to is between 28-33 months.
Feed
Our Wagyu cattle roam and graze freely on the foothills of the Irish Wicklow mountains. This natural and relaxing environment enriches the life of the cattle and contributes hugely to the quality, texture and taste of Rosendale Wagyu.
Following on from their initial grass-fed diet, the cattle then transition to a nutritious and sustainable high-energy grain. It is this high-quality grain feed that forms the intramuscular fat also known as marbling, which creates the world-renowned rich and unique taste associated with Wagyu beef.
However, we do not stop here. During their 250-day feeding programme, their feed is also supplemented with portions of fair-trade dark chocolate. This unique addition is what creates the signature Rosendale Wagyu taste and texture. Rich, sweet, tender and meaty.
These three stages of feed are pivotal in creating our range of Wagyu that we believe is ‘marbled to perfection’.
Grading
Our commitment at Rosendale to provide only the World’s finest Wagyu means that we only produce and supply 5+ Gold and 7+ Diamond graded cuts.
These grades are considered to provide some the highest standard of Wagyu beef in the world and give you the 100% guarantee of quality every time.
Each cut of beef is carefully graded in-house meeting the universal grading standards and is awarded either our Gold or Diamond grade seal of approval.