Vander Farmers, a family-owned company and farm in Sturgis, Mich., and the leading source of F1 American Wagyu in the Midwest, is substantially expanding distribution of premium Wagyu beef products into new markets across the United States through a partnership with International Gourmet Foods.

IGF is a wholesale distribution company founded in 1987 known for its extensive portfolio of high-quality food with warehouses in Northern Virginia; Charleston, S.C.; Atlanta and Chicago. Through IGF, Vander Farmers’ Wagyu products can now be found in Chicago, Wisconsin and the North/Central Midwest through Viola Imports (IGF’s  Midwest branch) as well as the mid-Atlantic.

Prior to this new partnership, Vander Farmers’ Wagyu beef selections have been sought out by some of Chicago’s most prestigious restaurants and acclaimed chefs including Obélix, El Che Steakhouse, Swift & Sons, Frontier by James Beard-nominated Chef Brian Jupiter, Pella Signature, Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings, Bhoomi Modern Indian Grill, Flour Power and Bon Yeon due to the superior quality beef. Vander Farmers prides itself on using best-in-class technology mixed with ethical and sustainable farming practices to make the best Wagyu steaks, burgers, sausages and more on the market—which also means, no hormones, no antibiotics, pasture grazing, and humane living conditions for all their animals. They also supply Wagyu Beef Franks at multiple Chicagoland area Home Depots through a partnership with Fixin’ Franks, which created a highly publicized response at the home improvement store’s traditional hot dog stand.

This year, Vander Farmers, founded by husband-and-wife team Mario and Marjolein vanderHulst, joins IGF to create a full nose-to-tail American Wagyu program comprised of 15 offerings from every major primal such as beef ribeye, strip loin, flat iron, short rib and more (size and amount vary depending on size of the animal). IGF also will sell gourmet ground beef and offer a variety of pack sizes of these products to its customer base of gourmet food retailers, independently owned restaurants, and artisanal butcher shops.

“IGF is excited and proud to partner with Vander Farmers. Not only is their American Wagyu beef line a great addition to our product portfolio, it also fits comfortably within our model of sourcing quality-focused ingredients and prioritizing sustainable farming and production practices. As a family-owned and operated farm in pursuit of becoming the leading source of premium American Wagyu through their ethically raised cattle, Vander also has a great story that resonates with our customers,” said Mike McDowell, director of sales at IGF. “We very much look forward to growing this partnership with Marjolein and Mario as we expand their distribution to artisan butcher shops, restaurants, and gourmet markets through our network east of the Mississippi.”

Vander Farmers is a love story through and through. Partners Marjolein and Mario vanderHulst grew up in neighboring small towns less than 20 minutes outside of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Both fond of country life and the freeing life on a farm, the newlyweds came to the Midwest to realize their American Dream in 2001. In the next few years, they started their very own dairy farm and welcomed their first child, all while building a tight-knit community for themselves in Sturgis, Mich.

Almost two decades later and now a thriving family of four, the love between Marjolein and Mario is still on full display. In 2016, Marjolein set out on a mission to find the best Wagyu beef for Mario as a Christmas gift. After weeks of searching, Marjolein couldn’t locate a source of high-quality local Wagyu beef. She told Mario about her unfulfilled mission and the challenges she faced in the process, to which he replied, “Well, I guess we’ll just have to raise it ourselves,” and the rest is history.

Now, the family-owned and -operated farm provides insanely good F1 Wagyu beef (a crossbreed of full-blooded Japanese Black Cattle and Holstein Dairy Cow) that is raised humanely and with full transparency, perfect for an unforgettable meal shared with your family and friends. With a variety of products ranging from premium steak cuts, ribs, F1 Wagyu ground beef and their gourmet Wagyu Beef Franks, Vander Farmers is positioned to be the leading source of Wagyu in the Midwest.

Vander meats are available for nationwide shipping to all 48 states through their website at https://www.vanderfarmers.com and coming to local retailers soon.

For more news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.