Fresh vacuum packaged meat may have an odor when first opening the package. This is due to the natural aging process of the meat in the vacuum packaging and is not an indication of product quality. Any odor when first removing the meat from the package will usually dissipate after a few moments.

Handing Tips for fresh vacuum packaged meat:

• Always store your fresh lamb in the refrigerator.
• The food safety zone for storing fresh meat is 0ºC (32ºF) - 4ºC (39ºF) .

At the Lamb Company, we have invested in the best supply-chain to ensure food safety and quality. This starts with the most modern meat processing techniques being practiced in New Zealand and Australia. Our processors focus on humanely processing our lambs to ensure the finest meat quality and shelf life. The vacuum-packaging process also helps to ensure a long shelf life for our products.

Besides packaging, our products are shipped via sea freight and air freight in temperature-controlled containers built specifically for transporting meat products under the best conditions. Once our products land in North America, our logistics and supply chain network has been developed and honed to ensure products are quickly and efficiently distributed throughout North America to meet demand from our customers and consumers.

The Lamb Company has a sophisticated and reliable distribution network strategically located throughout New Zealand, Australia and North America. All products are shipped with temperature control devices.

Meeting the needs of our customers is our measure of success. Because of that, our entire organization is dedicated to making our customers happy and providing excellent service throughout our supply chain.

Our lamb is completely pasture-raised and feeds almost exclusively on grass - their natural diet. The only exception to this is during rare periods of drought in Australia, when our Australian farmers may supplement with hay and silage, both natural vegetarian products, that are easily digested by our lambs. The reason we are able to raise our lambs predominantly on grass is because the conditions a luxury this country can afford because of the temperate climate, and its extensive pasture and hill country.

Yes. Both our New Zealand and Australian sheep/lamb is grass fed, and pasture-raised in wide open pastures where they feed on native grasses and vegetation such as, rye, clover and alfalfa.

In some areas of New Zealand and Australia, pastures may be fertilized – for the same reason as you would 'feed' or fertilize a garden. If there are issues such as a problem with weeds, these may be treated with a mild herbicide, depending on the severity and the type. If our animals are ever exposed to these chemicals, they are withheld from processing for a recommended time frame (depending on the chemical) to ensure there are no traces of the chemical or herbicides in the animal's system. New Zealand and Australia both have strict national controls which monitor the residues of agricultural and veterinary chemicals and environmental contaminants in food commodities. This is all in place to ensure consumers globally are never subjected to any potentially harmful chemicals from farming practices in each country.

While our animals graze predominantly on grass, during instances of drought conditions, our farmers will sometimes supplement the diet of our animals with hay (dried grasses) and silage (fermented grass). Both foods are naturally derived from pasture grasses and enable our farmers to care for our animals year-round.

Our lamb from New Zealand and Australia are fed natural pasture grasses and natural pasture cropping. Our sheep/lamb is never grain fed. There are some organic ranches in New Zealand and Australia (livestock, pastures and crops), so some of our animals have access to organic feed. Contact us to find out more about our organic lamb programs.

Our Australian and New Zealand livestock are not treated with hormones. It is illegal to use these substances in New Zealand and Australia. Antibiotics are only used therapeutically (to treat sickness only) and are prescribed by a registered veterinarian. If a sheep/lamb becomes sick, it could be treated with antibiotics, depending on the illness. All treated animals are subjected to withholding periods – so the antibiotics purge naturally from their system before it is allowed to re-enter the main flock.