V&V Walsh signs $40m trade deal

WA beef wholesaler V&V Walsh has inked a $40 million memorandum of understanding with a Chinese trade group to boost its supply of cattle.

V&V Walsh, under Craig Mostyn Group, signed the trading partnership MOU with High Hope Group to increase its supply of WA cattle, lamb and mutton.

The early-stage agreement would provide V&V Walsh with access to the Chinese group’s cold store and hotel network across the country.

V&V Walsh would supply High Hope Group with grain-fed cattle on a regular basis and work with the hotel chefs to develop lamb and mutton dishes for potential further exports.

The WA processor and wholesaler of beef and sheep products is one of the only companies in Australia granted a license to export chilled lamb and beef to China.

V&V Walsh general manager Brent Dancer said the signing ceremony, which occurred in China, was the culmination of a developing relationship with High Hope.

“High Hope has extensive business interests throughout China, and in particular the Jiangsu Province, and they are extremely committed to making our partnership work,” he said.

“The High Hope team undertook significant testing of our products before committing to the MOU so I have every confidence that the MOU will provide a large boost for premium WA beef, and new opportunities for our mutton and lamb.”

Further, Mr Dancer said the forward-looking orders would enable V&V Walsh’s feedlot suppliers to plan their feed programs with confidence.

And High Hope was taking every cut from the carcases processed with the company.

V&V Walsh was fully acquired by Craig Mostyn Group mid-2022, five years after the two Western Australian family-owned agribusinesses struck their first deal.

The agribusiness has a meat processing facility in Bunbury, of which its parent company is investing millions to increase capacity to prepare produce for containerised frozen shipping.