Ruapehu Lowline Angus
Rene Haeberli
A boutique beef producer on the fertile foothills of Mount Ruapehu — raising a unique Lowline Angus × Jersey cross for exceptional marbling, tenderness and flavour. NZ-wide delivery.
What you can buy
Limited stock available at multiple delivery dates throughout the year. Pre-orders open for half beasts and seasonal meat packs.
Half Beast
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Your choice of cuts — butchered and packed fresh chilled. Delivered to your door on your chosen delivery date. Full payment required before shipping.
10kg Meat Pack
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A superb selection of the finest cuts — freshly chilled (not frozen), carefully chosen for a great range of meals. Available at pre-specified times of the year.
6.4kg Meat Pack
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A smaller pack of premium Lowline Angus cuts — fresh chilled and delivered to your door. Perfect for smaller households.
Individual Cuts
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Select cuts and smallgoods available pre-frozen — eye fillet, rump steaks, osso bucco and more. Delivered NZ wide.
Stock is limited and available at pre-specified times of the year. Pre-order recommended. No rural delivery.
The world’s best kept secret in beef
The Lowline Angus was originally developed in Australia from the Aberdeen Angus — the goal being a smaller, more efficient animal that produces superior quality beef while requiring less feed and leaving a lower environmental footprint.
Ruapehu Lowline Angus takes this further with a unique cross between purebred Lowline Angus and purebred Jersey — a hybrid that combines the best of both breeds. The result is beef with extraordinary tenderness, beautiful marbling, and a rich, full-bodied flavour profile that sets it apart from conventional beef.
“The natural grazing habits of Lowline Angus cattle contribute to the development of a distinctive, full-bodied flavour profile — rich, succulent, robust and well-balanced.”
Lowline Angus × Jersey — what makes it special
The Lowline Angus contributes exceptional marbling, tenderness and efficient growth on grass alone — while the Jersey brings high butterfat genetics that deepen the flavour of the meat. The cross creates a hybrid with hybrid vigour — healthier, more robust, and producing beef with a quality that neither breed achieves alone.
Smaller animals also mean a lighter impact on the land. Ruapehu Lowline Angus cattle live lightly on the pasture, requiring less feed per kilogram of beef produced than standard beef breeds.
28 years on the slopes of Ruapehu
Rene Haeberli has lived on his small block on the side of Mount Ruapehu for the last 28 years — spectacular views, volcanic-ash soils, and a herd of contented animals that are never rushed, never stressed, and never processed in large numbers.
Ruapehu Lowline Angus only processes animals to match customer orders, keeping stock limited and sustainable. The volcanic-ash soils of the Ruapehu district produce exceptional mineral-rich pasture that feeds directly into the flavour of the beef.
Volcanic Soils
Rich, mineral-dense volcanic-ash soils from the slopes of Mount Ruapehu — feeding the pasture that feeds the cattle. Exceptional terroir for beef production.
Stress-Free Welfare
Small herd, relaxed environment, no rushing. Animals only processed to match orders — keeping stock limited and the operation ethical.
Light on the Land
Smaller animals, lower feed requirements, minimal environmental footprint. Sustainable farming on the fertile foothills of the central North Island.
Rene Haeberli — a lifetime in ethical meat production
Rene is not a newcomer to farming — he brings decades of experience in organic, ethical food production to every animal he raises at Ruapehu Lowline Angus.
Rene Haeberli
Founder, Grower & VeterinarianIn 1998, Rene founded Waimarino Pork — New Zealand’s sole BioGro certified organic free-range pork farm. With up to 150 breeding sows and his background as a veterinarian, he prioritised animal welfare, personally ensuring stress-free transport to the abattoir. Waimarino Pork gained renown for producing top-quality pork globally.
In 1999, he established Harmony Meats — New Zealand’s only BioGro certified organic butchery, exporting fresh pork weekly to Singapore. Harmony Meats continues selling nationwide to this day.
Given his deep passion for the meat industry, Rene has now turned his attention to producing high-quality beef through Ruapehu Lowline Angus — a hybrid of Lowline Angus and Jersey that he believes has the potential to become a top-tier beef product in New Zealand and abroad.
What the experts say
Stephan Baumberger
Retired Nelson Chef
“I was excited to evaluate the Ruapehu Lowline Angus. I tested cuts using different cooking methods — pan-fried, gas BBQ and over an open fire. As a first impression I noticed an appealing aged colour of the meat.”
“Throughout the different cooking stages I found a very pleasant meaty taste, obviously reflecting the rearing, handling, processing and ageing of the product. The meat is very tender with a delicate taste. The texture is perfect and balanced, as well as beautifully marbled — essential when offering prime cuts like ribeye and sirloin.”
“The fat has a pleasant, clear taste with a butter-like consistency. The loss in moisture was minimal. Being a smaller breed also means ribeye steaks can be cut thicker — which results in a juicier piece of meat on the plate.”
