The lamb industry was urged to put themselves in the shoes of consumers if they wanted to see their industry grow in the coming decades.
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About 1100 people representing all sectors of the sheep and lamb industry are in Albury for LambEx 2016, which began at Lauren Jackson Sports Centre on Thursday morning by looking into the crystal ball and trying to see where lamb could be in domestic and international markets over the next 20 years.
The Lauren Jackson Sports Centre has been transformed to accommodate the convention, the largest in Albury for many years, with a 900-seat lecture hall and two undercover exhibition halls with trade displays and live sheep.
About 40 staff from Barlens hire in Albury swung into action on Thursday afternoon to convert the lecture hall into a 920-seat dining room for the GrandsLAMB, in less than two hours, then worked into the night to return the lecture hall for day two, with the first session to feature former marathon runner Rob de Castella from 8.30am Friday.
Meat and Livestock Australia’s chief marketing and communications officer Lisa Sharp told the audience the meat protein market was evolving and highly competitive.
“My dad told me when I first started my working life, he said ‘Lisa, what interests your boss should fascinate you’,” she told the conference.
“So I say, when there are many, many competing products the consumer is well and truly the boss and we should start being fascinated by them.” Sam Burke, a corporate chef working with MLA, said while roasts and the barbecue were Australia’s traditional lamb fare, working families with limited time were encouraged to try new lamb cuts.
”Everyone loves the big legs and the shoulders for a family get-together but how do we get consumers who have got half an hour cooking the product and having success with it so they’ll go and buy it again?” Mr Burke said.
“The best way to do that is to use smaller cuts and that’s what we’re trying to do today.
“We’re aiming at the mum and dad who are time poor and have got to get a lunch or dinner up in 30 minutes.”
The day also involved presentations from the Young Guns competition finalists.
Young Guns category winners were: Early career: Elise Bowen (Sheep Data Management, NSW); post graduate: Steve Connaughton (Murdoch University); high school/undergraduate: Laura Wishart (Marcus Oldham College). Commended: Charlie Shadwell (Farrer HS, Tamworth).
