The board of Hereford Prime NZ Ltd and NZ Herefords were recently invited to have a look through the recently commissioned sous-vide plant developed by Magills in Te Awamutu.

While the plant has a smallish footprint (building wise) it’s doing big things in food production and the added value component of beef.

One of the outstanding aspects about the pulled products (including the beef) is the pulling technology Magills have designed and patented.

This technology means once the meat enters its bag and is sealed it doesn’t leave that bag until the consumer is serving it on to their plates.  And even though the design of the pulling technology is fiercely guarded it is a pretty phenomenal feat when you think about what it’s got to do without interfering with the integrity of the packaging.

Our tour took us on a journey from start to finish in the sous-vide factory – from the preparing of the meat cuts to the water bath cooking to the cooling and the boxing up and dispatch.

John van der Hoeven, left, shares some insight into the Magills sous-vide plant.

This included seeing a multi-pallet order for My Food Bag being loaded and dispatched.

John van der Hoeven, son of Mike van der Hoeven, shared how they need to be nimble in order to keep customers happy with orders sometimes changing at the last minutes.

Following the tour of the sous-vide factory we visited the boning room where Mike had some pure bred Hereford steer and heifer bodies hanging and being broken down.

Some Hereford Prime carcases in the Magills chiller.

These cattle had been supplied by a registered Hereford breeder and we acknowledge Hereford Prime director Kevin McDonald (Kairuru Herefords) for his efforts in this area.

Since joining the board Kevin has been very successful in forging a strong working relationship with Magills and sourcing surplus and empty heifers (and some steers) from a number of stud Hereford breeders into the programme.

Where it was once challenging to get cattle from outside a certain travel distance from breeders, Kevin has worked with Mike to make this a reality. It’s sitting at about 100 pure bred cattle from breeders in the programme so far and counting.

From left, Laurie Paterson, Kevin McDonald, Chris Douglas and Mike van der Hoeven with some of Mike’s heifers purchased from the Matapouri Hereford Stud of the Clements family.

Some of the heifers Mike van der Hoeven is finishing for Hereford Prime.

Owner of Magills, Mike van der Hoeven has purchased a farm and Kevin has also set him up with finishing pure-bred Herefords for the programme. Mike has also previously been a registered breeder and the board took the opportunity to visit his property while in Te Awamutu. The joy the cattle bring him was obvious during the visit to his well-appointed farm.

Magills also has toll processing relationship with Waimaire Meats in Whaganui where space currently available for 25 head a fortnight.

The slow-cooked pulled Hereford Beef with packaging that proudly displays the Hereford Prime brand.

If you want to learn more about Magills and the sous-vide factory you can find out more in the story in the 2023 edition of NZ Herefords.

If you have eligible cattle for Hereford Prime and are located in the southern North Island you can consign cattle to Hereford Prime by contacting Waimaire Meats, Plant Manager, Alistair Scott on 0274 490 905 or alistair@waimariemeats.co.nz