Olive Wagyu – The rarest beef in the world

With only about 2,200 Wagyu cows raised on special diets and a few slaughtered monthly, Olive Wangyu is considered the rarest beef in the world.

Premium Olive Wagyu beef. (Photo: A5meats.com).

According to Oddity Central (UK), the birth of Olive Wangyu beef is associated with the history of Shodoshima island in Kagawa prefecture in Japan. Shodoshima is also known as 'olive island' because it is a famous olive growing area in 'cherry country'. Shodoshima's Mediterranean-like climate is perfect for olives to grow, and the island was also one of the first in Japan to successfully harvest olives.

Like many other localities across Japan, the people of Shodoshima have been raising Wagyu cows since the 8th century for transporting goods, growing crops thanks to their abundant energy reserves. Without Mr. Masaki Ishii, a local farmer, Wagyu cows on Shodoshima island are just like cows in other regions.

Mr. Masaki Ishii. (Photo: Tokyo Life).

Mr. Masaki found the used olives on the island to be wasted, with tons of olives after being pressed for oil that are discarded every year, despite being rich in nutrients. Therefore, he thought that there must be a way to use the fruit effectively. He gave the cows olives to try, but it was a very bad idea. These cows do not eat them because of the bitter taste and strange shape of this fruit. But Masaki didn't just abandon her plan. Instead, he continued to find ways to turn olives into a valuable, delicious source of feed for cows.

Masaki takes the harvested olives and bakes them over medium heat, then dries and presses them to create a natural sugar. Wagyu beef is immediately attracted by this new sweetness. He did not expect his sudden success not only to create a new type of fodder, but also to revolutionize the industry of producing rare Olive Wagyu beef in the Shodoshima region.

Olive Wagyu has light pink flesh, more beautiful fat veins. (Photo: Instagram).

The addition of olives to the Wagyu beef's diet has changed the flavor of the meat, making it sweeter, softer, and tastier. When enjoying Olive Wagyu beef, diners feel like they are eating chocolate beef, the piece of meat is as soft as melting in the mouth.

But olives not only enhance the taste of the meat, but also change the appearance. Olive Wagyu beef has a light pink color and shine due to the presence of unsaturated fats. Around are smooth white fat veins like marble running along the grain of the flesh.

Some nutritionists suggest that because olives are high in oleic acid, Olive Wagy beef is considered one of the better sources of healthy fats than conventionally raised Wagyu beef.

Olive Wagyu beef on the grill. (Photo: CNBC).

The Olive Wagyu beef is undeniably scrumptious, but sadly, very few people get to taste it. Because the cow population is extremely limited – there are only about 2,200 olive-fed Wagyu cows in the world – it is difficult to enjoy Olive Wagyu in Japan, let alone the rest of the world. . Olive Wagyu is said to be so rare, that many restaurant owners in Japan have not even heard of it.

This makes the price of Olive Wagyu beef expensive. Crowd Cow, the only company that distributes Olive Wagyu beef in the US, sells it for $240 a piece. At a restaurant, if you can find it on the menu, the dish will cost about $500 per piece.