Hawke’s Bay, 13 March 2024 – Twelve months ago, the team at Matangi Angus Beef were in gumboots beginning repairs to their farm after Cyclone
Gabrielle laid waste to much of it – a far cry from the position they now find themselves in as they open their brand
new boutique butchery in the heart of Hastings’ foodie district, delivering an innovative fine food experience to New
Zealanders and Hawkes Bay visitors.
The boutique butchery sits alongside other artisan food producers in Heretaunga Street, including Ya Bon Bakery and
Hastings Distillers and will extend an already established online shop that supplies customers all over New Zealand via
overnight courier. Designed to replicate the cellar door concept at wineries – but for Angus Beef – it includes a
state-of-the-art butchery, bespoke dry ageing facilities, a showroom featuring the Matangi Beef story and a shopping
area that will be open to local customers on Thursdays and Fridays from March 14 onwards.
Visitors to Matangi’s boutique butchery will immediately see the custom-built dry-ageing cabinets. Relatively new to New
Zealand, dry ageing uses temperature and moisture control to age the meat perfectly for additional tenderness and
flavour. Nicky Gaddum, Matangi’s Business Manager, says customers can select their piece of meat and dry age it to
order, breaking new ground among the country’s finest food producers.
“We are the only producer across New Zealand to breed, farm, finish, butcher and dry-age grass-fed Angus beef to order.
In opening the butchery, we want to encourage people to select their cuts and have them dry-aged to taste. Each cut will
have the customer’s name attached so they can stop by and check how their cut is going. The fact this happens just
kilometres from where the beef is farmed is unique and adds to the speciality of what we do,” says Nicky.
Matangi Butchery will employ five staff, including two butchers skilled in the ‘Matangi way’ of finishing meat. Owner
Robert Haselsteiner says 65 per cent of its beef this season is achieving a marble score of 4 or more, considered
reserve grade and full of taste.
“We are focused on excellence with everything we do – breeding, farming and butchering. From the genetics of our herd
and our sustainable farming practices to ageing the beef quarters 21 days on the bone and fine cutting with artisan
butchery skills, we commit a lot of time and passion to delivering the best grass-fed Angus Beef to our private
customers and restaurant partners in New Zealand,” he says.
Supplying many top restaurants like Craggy Range, Embra or Blanket Bay Lodge, along with its private clients, Matangi is
excited to open its doors alongside other artisans and offer Hawke’s Bay a new fine food experience.
“We’ve come a long way in twelve months. The new boutique butchery takes Matangi full circle, realising a long-held
dream of ours; we’re excited to expand our local offering and showcase what we do on the farm and in the butchery
alongside some of Hawke’s Bay's best food producers,” says Robert.
Matangi Butchery will open on Thursday, March 14, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., and is located at 308 Heretaunga Street East,
Hastings.About Matangi
Matangi Prime Meat produces Angus Beef bred with purpose, grown with patience, and crafted with precision - exclusively
for the NZ market. Matangi has a bespoke and ethical approach to farming, working with a carefully selected, small,
closed herd and farming land that is sustainably optimised for the best soil and water quality, ensuring we maintain and
improve the environment for the future and obtain the best quality meat. Matangi’s in-house butchery team carefully
crafts premium cuts before providing them directly and seasonally to conscientious and discerning NZ customers.
To find out more, visit www.matangi.co.nz