This unique Wagyu enterprise had its beginnings when a group of enterprising individuals met in Ohio in 2014 to discuss Wagyu Beef and share ideas about finding a way to put together a company to produce and market Wagyu-Angus cross beef from local farms. Several experienced individuals in genetics, cow-calf production, nutrition (and feeding for the best marbling), marketing and distribution came together to create this opportunity.
Lawrence Adams, Managing Partner, has been in the cattle business for more than 40 years, and in the Wagyu and meat business for 17 years, and has an Angus and a Full Blood herd. “We chose Ohio because there were several reasons that make this region perfect to take advantage of the growing demand for Wagyu beef,” he says.
There are some excellent cow herds in Ohio, to breed with the best Full Blood Wagyu Genetics in the United States. There were also some top researchers at Ohio State University--experts on beef quality and the influence of the Wagyu breed. Ohio also has family farmers with animal husbandry skills who have a passion for producing quality beef, and knowledgeable consumers who appreciate having the best U.S. beef produced locally.
“The partners in our new company all had Wagyu cattle, and our core group focused on raising Wagyu the right way, with best management practices, and holistically managing them all the way through,” says Adams.
Francis Pang, one of the partners, produces genetics for Sakura. He has spent more than 20 years developing superior genetics for quality and performance. Another partner, John Hondros has been in the Wagyu business for 8 years, raising Wagyu calves. The genetics of the cattle used in Sakura’s meat program trace back to legendary Japanese bloodlines.
Dr. Francis Fluharty is another partner. He was a Research Professor in Nutrition at OSU and is now Department Head and Professor in Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Georgia before that. He has spent more than 30 years researching Wagyu and doing consulting all over the world on Wagyu production.
“With all our partners we have a strong knowledge base in production and doing it the right way, and are very involved in raising Wagyu in terms of animal care, health, nutrition, etc.” says Adams. The company also depends on other staff members. Tori Trbovich is the Sakura Sales and Product manager and has been with the company for 3 years. She has a Master’s Degree in Meat Science from OSU and oversees the packing plant and the harvest of these animals.