Sneak peek: New butcher at Rothwell

Australian Steak Co will open its new shop at Rothwell tomorrow, stocking the quality beef it is renowned for but also a bigger range of other meat goods for carnivores.

The business has outgrown, and moved from, its shop at Sutton St, Redcliffe, which opened about one year ago.

Owners Maria Jardines and Brock Pickthorne say they started with just two fridges but quickly outgrew the space thanks to strong support from the community.

The new Rothwell shop, at Shop 2b 455 Anzac Ave, is bigger and will enable them to process their own meat and expand the range of goods on offer.

It is also in a central location for their customers, who come from across the Peninsula but also suburbs including North Lakes and Narangba. It also has more customer carparking.

“We are proud of ourselves, where we are right now and where we’re going too. I think, in the next year or so, we’re going to grow a lot,” Maria says.

Brock says they are now stocking more marinated stock, sausages, pork, chicken, lamb and kebabs.

“We didn’t do much of that before because we were very niched into steak ... (we’re now) a bit more of a full-range butcher,” he says.

“Our specialty is steak, hence the name Australian Steak Co. We do a lot of wagyu beef and angus beef and grassfed beef, so we’ve got a really good steak for everyone ... whatever their diet preferences. If they’re looking for something indulgent for a special occasion, we have that too.”

There’s also a selection of goods blended with superfoods such as liver, as well as duck, plus ready-to-go meals, and a range of seasonings and marinades, sauces, glazes and barbecue goods.

“Everything we source is from small business. So far, it’s going really well and we plan to grow our selection,” Maria says.

Specialty brands

So, what makes their meat so special?

“We source what you call branded meat products. They’re not generic, run-of-the-mill meats. They come from all over Australia,” Brock explains.

“A really popular brand we sell is 36° South brand from South Australia. It’s out of Hereford cattle. Our wagyu comes from a place like Kilcoy where they’ve got their own brand Carrara Wagyu.

“We mix and match our variety. We don’t stick to any one brand. We just look for what’s the best products in the market at the most affordable prices and just bring that to market.

“It’s much like trying different beers or wines or cheese ... you can try different beef from different producers and different growing regions. If you like that brand, tried it once, it will be consistent the next time.

“Rather than saying this is our scotch fillet steak and it comes from a different supplier every week, we get that branded product from those suppliers who are proud of their produce.”

Maria says they can cater to all budgets, offering affordable options for a family meal through to premium cuts.

Australian Steak Co’s grand opening is tomorrow at 8am, with a range of specials which will be announced on the facebook page tonight.

The business will be open 8am-5.30pm Monday to Friday, and 8am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday.