WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH A5 WAGYU?

by Brandon Miller

At Kaizen Shabu our menu is full of an amazing selection of proteins. From New Zealand lamb to sashimi grade salmon, each one brings a unique flavor to our dishes. It should be no surprise that the star of our menu is A5 Wagyu, widely regarded as the best quality beef in the world. 

Understanding the Beef Industry

To understand the uniqueness of Wagyu, it’s important to understand the size and scale of the beef industry. It would be an understatement to say that the beef industry is anything but massive. Worldwide, there are approximately 989 million cows being raised for beef. The United States is the largest producer and supplies 20% of all beef in the world (valued at over $65 billion). Nearly 70% of all beef production comes from the US, Brazil, the European Union, China, and India.  

While there are over a thousand different breeds of cattle, only a small number can boast a superb level of quality like Wagyu.

What is Wagyu Beef?

Wagyu is a breed of Japanese cattle that is known for its high fat content (or marbling) due to unique genetics. Marbling occurs when meat contains high amounts of intermuscular fat. This additional fat alters the flavor of the meat and increases its tenderness. 

There are four types of cows that fit into the Wagyu category - Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, and Japanese Polled. Japanese Black make up 90% of all Wagyu cattle. 

Distribution of Wagyu Cattle Worldwide

There are only 2 million pure Wagyu cattle in the world and 96% of them are found in Japan. A small number of purebred Wagyu were exported to the United States and Australia. In addition, there are dozens of crossbred variations. 

In 1997, the export of live Wagyu cattle from Japan was banned. This includes the export of any cattle containing Wagyu DNA. 

Monitoring and Tracking of Wagyu Cattle

Because of its prized status, Wagyu cattle are closely tracked and monitored. All Japanese cattle are assigned a 10-digit number at birth by the National Livestock Breeding Center in Japan. This number provides a lot of information about the animal including date of birth, sex, breed, name of the farm where it was raised, and genetic lineage. Similar systems are used by the American and Australian Wagyu Associations to track purebred Wagyu in their respective countries. 

Wagyu Beef Grading System

Not all Wagyu is created equal. In addition to tracking the live animals closely, there is also a grading system used to determine the quality of the meat. The rankings are a letter-number combination that are assigned to each cow to help consumers understand the quality of the product. 

The first part of the grade is yield. Yield is based on the amount of prime cuts versus the overall body weight of the animal. The higher percentage of prime meat, the higher the grade. Yield is classified into three grades from A to C (with A having the highest yield and C having the lowest yield). 

The second part of the score is the quality of the meat. Quality is determined by examining four factors: marbling, color, firmness, and quality of fat. Based on these characteristics, the meat is ranked on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest). 

The letter and number are then combined to give the total grade - Highest being A5 and lowest being C1. We want only the best for our customers which is why we never settle for anything lower than A5. 

Beef Marbling Score

While all aspects of the grade are important, Wagyu is especially known for its fat content. So, it's important to note how marbling is evaluated using the Beef Marbling Score (or BMS). In Japan, marbling is ranked on a scale of 3 to 12 (anything under 3 will show little to no marbling). The average Wagyu falls into the 4 to 6 range. As the score increases, the cuts become more rare and more expensive. At Kaizen Shabu, our Wagyu is always in the 9 to 11 range. 

Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or trying to impress a hot date, our beautifly selected Wagyu will make your meal memorable. If you’re ready to treat your tastebuds to a whole new level of flavor, let Kaizen Shabu show you what A5 Wagyu is all about.