Low methane beef available to purchase

In a world-first, an Adelaide butcher has become the first retailer to stock low methane, ‘guilt-free’ beef through a partnership with local company CH4 Global.

Windsor Meats in Malvern is providing consumers with the opportunity to taste the low emissions product with wagyu beef already available, ahead of a roll-out to premium South Australian and national retailers and restaurants.

CH4 Global has held discussions with Chianti, Barossa Fine Foods, SkyCity Adelaide, which operates seven eateries at its North Terrace location, and prominent supermarket chains.

The company, which has grow tanks on the Eyre Peninsula, has been supported by the South Australian Government, including Invest SA, to integrate into the South Australian economy and community.

CH4 Global’s Methane Tamer product is feeding cattle at farms across the state, and then onto shelves, menus and plates – with the end-to-end process occurring entirely in South Australia.

The EcoPark at Louth Bay features 10 large-scale Asparagopsis cultivation ponds and work is underway to expand the facility which would see production increase tenfold, enough to serve 45,000 cattle a day.

Asparagopsis, a red seaweed, has scientifically been proven to reduce methane emissions from cows by up to 90 per cent when used as a feed additive. Methane is primarily a by-product of human industry, with the livestock industry and the agriculture sector more broadly, key polluters of the greenhouse gas.

CH4 Global’s work to date has seen it featured in the New York Times and Time Magazine, and earlier this year the company was recognised as a top 50 global leader in sustainable development by CNBC.

The South Australian Government has supported CH4 Global since its inception, with CEO and co-founder Dr Steve Meller, recently joining the South Australian Government’s delegation to World Expo 2025, Osaka in Japan.

“At CH4 Global, our aim is to foster an ecosystem in which farmers, consumers and retailers can all benefit from access to more sustainable beef,” said Dr Meller, CEO and co-founder of CH4 Global.

“Our goal is a win-win for everyone. We’re building the entire end-to-end ecosystem in South Australia, from growing the seaweed, to producing our finished Methane Tamer product to feed to quality Angus cattle and, ultimately, to provide South Australian consumers with high-quality beef that ensures a more sustainable food supply that they can’t get anywhere else in the world.

“In the years to come, we are hoping to see more steaks on plates not just in Australia, but in Southeast Asia, the US, the UK and in South America.”

CH4 Global has existing partnerships with major international businesses including Mitsubishi in Japan, Chipotle in the United States, Lotte in South Korea and UPL in India.

The company is one of more than 10,000 local businesses to be a member of Brand SA, which was re-established to support the state’s industries.

Premium wagyu products are now available for purchase at Windsor Meats while Angus beef products, at a more affordable price point, will be on shelves by October.

“Windsor Meats is really excited to be working with CH4 Global and incredibly proud to be the first butcher shop in the world to be able to offer our customers a much more sustainable meat product, particularly at a time when consumers are becoming far more curious about where their food is coming from and about sustainability,” said Sam Burt, owner at Windsor Meats.

“We love that CH4 Global is a South Australian company that’s supporting local farmers and businesses, and doing something amazing for the environment.”