Popular burger chain’s bold new move

methane emissions than regular cattle.

Its new beef option will land on the menu of 61 Grill’d restaurants around Australia on Tuesday after it developed a way to feed its grass-fed cows a native Tasmanian seaweed that reduces their methane emissions by up to 67 per cent.

Grill’d founder Simon Crowe said the seaweed diet did not change the taste of the beef but the brand, which started in 2004, wanted to play a progressive and sustainable role in this area.

He added climate change had increasingly become a “scary” reality for future generations.

“Any millennial and the younger generations realise the planet is at a tipping point and there is no longer an argument in that generation about the science but there is anger and frustration that generations that have gone before are not doing enough,” he told news.com.au.

“They have a strong activist desire for things to get done rather than just talk about it and we hope what we are doing is taking action rather than waiting for government mandates or action.”

Grill’d’s new way to feed cattle has been done in partnership with Sea Forest – the facility producing commercial quantities of the seaweed – with the research validated by the University of New England NSW,

Ongoing live trials on the Grill’d farm are targeting a 90 per cent reduction in methane emissions and would go well beyond the Federal government’s target to reduce emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.

However, Mr Crowe said the beef would not be standard and instead customers would be offered a ‘Gamechanger’ upgrade for an extra $1.

“We decided not to make a specific burger as we know taste is still going to be the number one priority,” he said.

“We are charging an extra $1 but it costs a lot more in terms of labour and product and the process and we hope there is a positive challenge to the consumer for a $1 extra that they can be changing the world one burger at a time.

“If consumers are prepared to dip into their pockets minimally, we can collectively make a difference to the world.

“We expect it to go gangbusters as there is this pent up desire to take action and I like to think of ourselves as positive activists and even if that’s not the case, I’m proud we walking this path as it’s the right thing to do.”

But Mr Crowe can’t see any of the major fast food players doing the same thing to tackle climate change and hopes consumers will vote with their feet.

“I don’t think others in the mass scale space would have the gumption to do this. A lot of their meat comes from far north Queensland or the Northern Territory and it’s not quality, high range grass fed cattle,” he noted.

“I think its almost impossible to do such a thing for them. But in terms of the small players I would happily help them. I think being stuck in the middle means we are big enough to undertake this change and hopefully make an impact.”

CEO of Sea Forest Sam Elson said methane was a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and now consumers could make a real difference by enjoying a low-carbon product like the beef that are better for the planet.

He added seeing the beef come to market was a “tremendous milestone”, particularly as the seaweed was native to Tasmania providing a global advantage, while the breakthrough had come about from Australian science.

“It will be interesting to see the consumer responses,” he said. “What Grill’d is looking for is a genuine consumer response as they have to actually choose the Gamechanger beef patty and we hope it will lead to more product in market as the power is in the hands of the people.”

Mr Crowe had stumbled on the idea for the sustainable beef back in 2020 when the CSIRO announced its research and he was determined to bring it into the business, he added.