Our Story
From Waikato farming roots to feeding the nation
Nathanael McDonald
Owner & Farmer | Based in Whangārei, Northland
Nathanael brings together two worlds: the hands-on farming experience from his Waikato roots, and the business expertise from his work as a financial adviser.
With a Bachelor of Business Analysis from the University of Waikato and years of experience working with livestock and land, Nathanael understands both the practical realities of farming and the economics of making it work for everyone involved.
As a family man living in Northland with his wife and three daughters, he's committed to building a local food system that benefits farmers, families, and the land.
Farming is a family affair — the next generation learning to care for our herd
The Story
How a Waikato farmer built a new kind of food business.
Backyard Beef didn't start in a boardroom or a business plan. It started on the land, with a farmer who knew what good beef looked like and what it took to raise it right.
Nathanael McDonald grew up with farming in his blood. With deep roots in the Waikato, he spent years working the land, understanding livestock, and building the kind of hands-on knowledge that only comes from early mornings and muddy boots.
After years of hands-on farming, Nathanael transitioned into business and finance, earning a Bachelor of Business Analysis and building a career as a financial adviser in Whangārei. But his connection to the land never faded.
As he settled into life in Northland with his family, he began to see a gap in the local food system. Quality grass-fed beef was being raised on lifestyle blocks all around him — small-scale, naturally raised, ethically handled. But there was no easy way to connect these producers with everyday New Zealanders who cared about where their food came from.
That's when Backyard Beef was born. Nathanael's vision was clear: feed the nation with New Zealand beef, reared locally on real pasture, and make it more affordable than what you'd pay at the supermarket.
"I've spent my life around farming. Now I get to combine that experience with business skills to help connect New Zealanders with the kind of beef I'd be proud to raise myself."
Our Mission
Feeding the nation
Better beef shouldn't be a luxury. We're making quality accessible.
Fair pricing for everyone
By cutting out middlemen, we offer quality grass-fed beef at prices that beat the supermarket. Farmers get fair returns, families get great value.
Supporting small farmers
We work with lifestyle blocks and family farms that prioritise animal welfare, pasture quality, and sustainable land management.
Transparent supply chains
Fewer steps from paddock to plate means fresher beef, full traceability, and real transparency about where your food comes from.
Sustainable practices
Grass-fed beef from low-intensity farming that cares for soil health, water quality, and biodiversity for generations to come.
"Backyard Beef isn't a butcher shop. We're building a food system that values quality over quantity, transparency over convenience, and community over corporations."
What we stand for
The principles that guide everything we do.
Grass-fed, naturally raised
Our cattle finish on pasture, not grain feedlots. Real grass, open paddocks, the way it should be.
Animal welfare first
Smaller herds, more attention, calmer animals. On-farm processing keeps them stress-free.
Sustainable land use
Farming practices that protect soil, water, and biodiversity for generations to come.
Full transparency
Know exactly where your beef comes from, how it was raised, and what you're paying for.
From our family to yours
Taste the difference that real farming makes.
When you buy from Backyard Beef, you're not just getting exceptional meat — you're supporting local farmers, sustainable practices, and a food system that puts quality over quantity.
What you get with Backyard Beef:
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Premium quality at $15/kg
Less than supermarket prices for far better beef
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Custom cut to your preferences
Choose your steak thickness, mince portions, and more
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Full transparency
Know exactly where your beef comes from
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Supporting local farmers
Fair prices for Northland lifestyle block farmers