The award-winning steak restaurant group Hawksmoor and conservation charity
Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) are launching a new partnership today, in
a UK-first to champion rare and native breed livestock farmers and showcase
their exquisite produce.
 

RBST is the national conservation charity which promotes and conserves the
UK's rare native breeds of livestock and equines. Renowned for its ethical,
sustainable steak, responsibly sourced seafood, and award-winning cocktail
bars, Hawksmoor now spans 13 restaurants across London, Manchester,
Liverpool, Edinburgh, Dublin, New York and Chicago. 

RBST and Hawksmoor are today launching a new UK-wide programme that will see
farms keeping herds of the UK's rare native cattle breeds selected to supply
their produce for T-bone, Porterhouse and Prime Rib sharing steaks. This
exceptional produce will be showcased on Hawksmoor's weekend blackboard at
all restaurants across the UK and Ireland, and will also be embedded as a
permanent menu feature at Hawksmoor's upcoming St Pancras location, due to
open later this year. This pioneering initiative marks the first large-scale
scheme of its type dedicated to supporting the conservation of rare and
native breed livestock in the UK.  

Rare Breeds Survival Trust Chief Executive Christopher Price said: "We are
delighted to launch this partnership, which will give Hawksmoor customers
the chance to experience the excellent tastes, textures and quality of rare
and native breed steaks and will champion rare and native breed farmers.  

"Perfectly adapted to UK conditions and ideal for Conservation Grazing that
supports natural biodiversity, native cattle breeds have an important place
in sustainable farming that produces food and enhances biodiversity. Some of
these fantastic breeds have become very rare, such as the Gloucester,
British White and Whitebred Shorthorn breeds. We want to see all our rare
and native breeds thriving again: back at the heart of British agriculture
with a strong market for their produce which is essential to enable more
farms to keep these breeds. I thank Hawksmoor for recognising the fantastic
quality of this produce, and for their wonderful support for farming with
native livestock."  

Hawksmoor's Co-founder, Huw Gott comments: "For those who care deeply about
beef and provenance, and even for those who might not often think about it,
this really matters. Across all our UK and Ireland restaurants, our weekend
blackboard steaks now come from named rare and native breeds, supporting the
farmers and landscapes that make them possible.

"It might seem counter-intuitive, but the best way to help these beautiful
old breeds survive is to eat their beef. By choosing it, we are backing the
farmers who rear them slowly, responsibly and sustainably, and helping to
ensure these magnificent animals remain part of our countryside and our
future.  

"We are incredibly proud of this partnership, and for a business of our
scale to deliver an initiative of this kind. In an industry where there are
many opportunities to cut corners or reduce costs, this is something we will
never compromise on. When every part of that chain is working at its best,
the beef speaks for itself. You can genuinely taste the difference." 

The partnership will see RBST bring eligible native breed farmers together
in RBST Regional Hubs, facilitating Hawksmoor in sourcing rare and native
breed beef from each of the UK's regions. The programme launches in
south-west England today, with the establishment of RBST Regional Hubs
elsewhere in the UK to follow in 2026. RBST and Hawksmoor will also work
with the network of Regional Hubs on fostering solutions to the ongoing
challenge for farmers and smallholders of ensuring markets for all the other
cuts.

Farmers can express their interest in the program at
www.rbst.org.uk/forms/new-partnership-to-showcase-native-produce