How Does Wagyu Beef Become Kobe?
NEWS
By MATTHEW LEE
Wagyu beef is a delicacy in the same category as caviar and truffles. However, while Kobe beef falls under the same umbrella as Wagyu, it has to pass stringent quality controls.
Kobe beef is sourced from Japanese Black cattle, specifically from Tajima-strain Japanese Black cattle that are born, raised, and processed in Hyōgo Prefecture.
It must achieve specific scores for meat quality and marbling, and adhere to weight limits. Due to these standards, only about 5,500 heads get the “Kobe beef” designation yearly.
The majority of these are consumed domestically, where the demand is high. Only a small portion is exported, which explains its high price and why some of it is likely not genuine.