How a Danish meat company transforms challenges into gastronomy
To benefit both animal welfare and heighten food quality the Danish companies AB Catering, BC Catering and Inco Cash & Carry will in cooperation with the Danish meat company Danish Crown, start selling meat to Danish restaurants and canteens from crossbreed calves named Danish Gastro Calves.
For years, it has been a notoriously bad business for farmers to fatten their Jersey cows or beef cattle for slaughter, but now a new type of cross breeding between Jersey cows and beef cattle gives way for a new type of veal of excellent quality. And that is exactly what AB Catering, BC Catering and Inco Cash & Carry have been looking for.
“There is a strong focus on sustainability, animal welfare and Danish products and that is something we as a wholesaler want to support and offer to our customers. Of course, it is important that it is Danish Crown and thereby Danish farmers we are partnering with. Because that ensures us as wholesalers, the exact quantities we need as well as a high level of trust with the production as well as food safety, says Jesper Bonderup, Purchasing Manager at Dansk Cater, the owner of AB Catering, BC Catering and Inco.
The crossbreeding makes the new calves grow faster, thus allowing the farmer to sell an attractive animal to the slaughterhouse
Interested in Danish gastronomy and the New Nordic Kitchen? Take a look here.
World leading in cross-breeding
The research done by SEGES, the Danish Food & Agriculture’s knowledge center, is one of the factors that allowed Danish farmers to breed crossbreeding calves. The crossbreeding makes the new calves grow faster, thus allowing the farmer to sell an attractive animal to the slaughterhouse.
“We were the first to research sex-sorted semen back in 2011, and Denmark is now leading in this area. There are other countries working with this, but Danish farmers have contributed to the idea from the very start, and therefore we are also leading in the areas now, says Per Spleth, Special Consultant at SEGES.
The work leading up to the release of Danish Gastro Calves has helped reduce exports of Danish spawning calves by almost a third since 2013. At the same time, farmers’ supplies of calves under the welfare concept Danish Calves have increased by more than 20%.
Shared responsibility across the value chain
Another reason why Danish Crown Beef launches the concept in collaboration with AB Catering, BC Catering and Inco, is due to the fact that the story of the good life for the calves, the welfare in the barns and the quality of taste fits the requests by chefs in large kitchens, canteens and restaurants all over the country.
Danish Crown Beef is Denmark’s largest beef supplier and is owned by approx. 5000 Danish farmers.
Want to know how Danish food businesses are built on a collaborative culture?