Our Story

Lake Farm is an artisan Angus cattle breeder nestled on the banks of Lake Karapiro.

As a registered Angus cattle stud (Lake Farm Genetics), our mission has always been to breed exceptional animals known for their outstanding carcasses, high growth, and superior eating quality. We believe we are well on our way. We were proud to win the prestigious Beef + Lamb New Zealand Steak of Origin competition twice and to have been finalists seven times over nine consecutive years. Although the competition no longer runs, this unique achievement remains a source of great pride.

One of the highlights of what we do is crafting gourmet pies using our own beef. These artisan pies are sold online and shipped directly to customers across the country.

Perhaps our greatest thrill came in 2018, when our breeding program and artisan pies were featured on New Zealand’s iconic Country Calendar TV program. The response was so overwhelming it temporarily crashed our website—even though we had warned our web host! The show’s producers told us they’d never seen such a reaction. It was a moment we’ll never forget.

It’s been an amazing journey so far, and we’re so grateful. But there’s still more to come.

For years, we processed our animals for our premium steaks and pies. However, it has become increasingly difficult—almost impossible—to have animals processed and carcasses returned to our butchers. We faced the very real possibility of closing. Then, we were fortunate to find a solution. Magills Butchery in Te Awamutu, a respected name in premium meats, will open a micro-abattoir in December 2025. They’ve generously agreed to include our animals in their processing, packaging our prime steaks and preparing bulk mince and diced beef for our pies. This partnership ensures we can continue offering products that meet our exacting standards. Until the abattoir opens, Magills will support us by supplying top-tier beef from their best animals, so we can keep producing our pies. We are incredibly grateful for their support. Our steaks will return once our own animals can be processed again.
Farming by Lake Karapiro brings unique challenges. We avoid fertilisers that could leach into the lake, using only lime to maintain soil pH. The lush pasture tells us we’re doing something right. Last year, a group of “curious cockies” visited with spades and forks, digging into the soil and praising the healthy worm activity—a proud moment for us. We are starting to slow down a little. Pies are now shipped just once a month, giving us more time to explore New Zealand and beyond. In December, we even visited family in Germany and soaked up the magic of the European Christmas markets—an unforgettable trip.
We’ve bred two exceptional bulls. One is genetically ranked #3 in all of New Zealand and the other is genetically in the top 3% of Angus bulls in Australasia. They are two of the most docile animals on the farm, yet still with outstanding genetics, Our plan is to use these guys exclusively, but we will still look to breed another "super bull" as a backup. So whilst we are slowing down—our passion to breed special animals and provide a nurtured environment for them is just as strong as it was 20 years ago. It has been a truly special journey. We feel very blessed and we thank you for being part of it.