MLA and The Gourmet Goat Lady pioneer goat salami to meet growing demand for premium smallgoods

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), in partnership with The Gourmet Goat Lady, has successfully completed a proof-of-concept project to develop a salami product made from Australian goatmeat.

The initiative responds to the growing domestic deli meat and smallgoods trend and aims to position value-added Australian goatmeat as a premium offering for consumers seeking pork-free alternatives.

The project, funded through the MLA Donor Company (MDC), focused on ensuring goat salami could be manufactured safely and meet regulatory requirements for sale in Australia.

Approval from the NSW Food Authority was achieved, confirming that goat salami can be produced using 100% farmed goatmeat without fat supplementation, while maintaining quality and safety standards.

Reflecting on the significance of this achievement for the industry, MLA’s Group Manager for Science and Innovation at MLA, Michael Lee said the project opens new opportunities for goatmeat both domestically and abroad.

“This project demonstrates the potential for goatmeat to move further up the value chain through a safe, high-quality smallgoods product,” Mr Lee said.

“This benefits industry by proving a new, valued-added range of goatmeat products can be safely developed.

“Given that goatmeat is consumed globally with few religious or cultural taboos against its consumption, the potential scope and reach of the market for goatmeat smallgoods is significant.”

Rigorous testing throughout production validated food safety, and approval was granted for the trial recipe. The process closely mirrors traditional salami manufacturing, making integration into existing smallgoods operations straightforward.

Importantly, farmed goatmeat provided sufficient fat for an 80:20 meat-to-fat ratio, delivering a lean yet high-quality product compared to the typical 70:30 ratio in pork salami.

This ensures a leaner product while maintaining quality and sensory attributes. Importantly, the manufacturing process mirrored that of other uncooked comminuted fermented meat (UCFM) products, meaning goat salami can be integrated into current smallgoods production systems without significant operational changes.

Additional safety measures, such as freezing raw inputs and enhanced microbial testing, were found to be practical and economically viable.

For Jo Stewart, founder of The Gourmet Goat Lady, the success of the collaboration was underscored by a major accolade. 

“Winning a gold medal at the 2025 Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards for our goat salami is a proud moment,” Mrs Stewart said. 

“It reflects not only the craftsmanship behind the product but also the rigorous research and development process we undertook with MLA and Papandrea Fine Foods.

“From sourcing and preparing farmed goatmeat to trialling batches and refining recipes to meet regulatory standards, we were deeply involved in every stage. This collaboration allowed us to prove that goat salami can be produced safely and at a premium quality, creating new opportunities for Australian goatmeat in the smallgoods market.”

The gold medal, awarded in the “Champion Smallgoods” category among 182 entries, recognises outstanding flavour, balance, texture and craftsmanship – setting a benchmark for excellence in the Australian food industry.

“The research identified a clear opportunity to introduce goat salami into the Australian market, despite the challenge of bridging two distinct consumer segments: those familiar with salami and those who regularly consume goatmeat,” Mr Lee said. 

“For regular salami or deli meat buyers, goat salami represents a gourmet, artisanal alternative that aligns with growing interest in unique, high-quality products.

While for communities with cultural or religious restrictions on pork, it offers a safe and appealing option that fits established dietary preferences.”

For more details and to access the full research report, visit: Goat Smallgoods PoC Study

Jo and Craig Stewart will be showcasing their award-winning goat salami at MLA’s Carcase Utilisation Hub during the upcoming MLA Updates event in Adelaide on 20 November. To register please visit: MLA Updates

For further information regarding safe manufacturing of salami and other smallgoods manufacturing, refer to the latest AMIC Smallgoods Guidelines.