1,000 Expert Judges Select the World’s Best Ribeyes and Striploins at the World Meat Championship

Buenos Aires, September — Declared of Economic and Tourism Interest by the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, the World Meat Championship – CMDC® held its second edition on September 17 at El Central restaurant, at La Rural Buenos Aires.

With samples from 10 countries, the competition brought together leading representatives from across the meat industry to recognize excellence in beef quality.

Through an evaluation process conducted during both Quality Week and the final judging day at El Central, **1,000 judges—including chefs, meat sommeliers, international experts, and trained consumers—**analyzed the participating samples to determine the world’s best ribeyes and striploins.

Organized by Luis Barcos, founder and director of the Argentine School of Meat Sommeliers, together with AmeriCarne magazine and Messe Frankfurt Argentina, the competition featured samples from 10 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Panama, Mexico, Spain, England, and Ireland, reaffirming its global character and enabling quality standards to be compared under a single evaluation protocol.

Luis Barcos, founder of the World Meat Championship – CMDC®, stated: “Our mission is to showcase the quality of beef and recognize everyone who works throughout the entire value chain.”

Fernando Gorbarán, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Argentina, added: “Seeing the evolution of the World Meat Championship is a clear demonstration of its potential. At Messe Frankfurt Argentina, we value events that create opportunities for meeting, exchanging ideas, and generating new opportunities across an entire industry, and CMDC® is a clear example of this.”

During the awards ceremony, Buenos Aires City legislator Pablo Donati presented the World Meat Championship – CMDC® with the Declaration of Economic and Tourism Interest of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, recognizing the championship for highlighting beef excellence, promoting interaction among producers, industry professionals, gastronomy, and consumers, and strengthening the beef value chain.

The CMDC® 2026 Winners

Following a rigorous technical and sensory evaluation process, in which attributes such as tenderness, juiciness, and flavor were assessed, the competition recognized the best cuts across four categories: Ribeye and Striploin, according to whether the cattle were grass-fed or grain-fed.

Gold Medals

Following the evaluation process, the Gold Medals were awarded to:

Grain-fed Ribeye: Frigorífico Las Piedras, Establecimiento Las Piedras, Aberdeen Angus Steer, Uruguay.
Grain-fed Striploin: Urien Loza, Estancia Don Beto Saliquelló, Aberdeen Angus Steer, Argentina.
Grass-fed Ribeye: Elisabel Restaurante Las Lilas, Establecimiento Estancia y Cabaña Las Lilas, Aberdeen Angus Steer, Argentina.
Grass-fed Striploin: Frigorífico Las Piedras, Establecimiento Las Piedras, Aberdeen Angus Heifer, Uruguay.

Silver Medals

The following establishments received Silver Medals:

Grain-fed Ribeye: El Mercedino, Establecimiento Caldenes S.A. Cañada Seca, Hereford Steer, Argentina.
Grain-fed Striploin: Frigorífico Las Piedras, Establecimiento Las Piedras, Aberdeen Angus Steer, Uruguay.
Grass-fed Ribeye: Frigolar SA, Establecimiento Martínez Arenaza e Hijos General Pinto, Limousin Steer, Argentina.
Grass-fed Striploin: Don Romeo, Establecimiento Don Romeo, Aberdeen Angus Young Steer, Argentina.

Bronze Medals

The Bronze Medals were awarded to:

Grain-fed Ribeye: Abuelo Julio, Establecimiento El Chajá Alvear La Pampa, Aberdeen Angus Steer, Argentina.
Grain-fed Striploin: Comercializadora Morres, Establecimiento Alicia, Aberdeen Angus Young Steer, Argentina.
Grass-fed Ribeye: La Negra Agropecuaria, Establecimiento La Negra, Aberdeen Angus Cow, Argentina.
Grass-fed Striploin: Elisabel Restaurante Las Lilas, Establecimiento Estancia y Cabaña Las Lilas, Aberdeen Angus Steer, Argentina.

Excellence in Flavor

In addition to the distinctions awarded by cut and category, the jury recognized Excellence in Flavor, awarded to the following participants:

Grain-fed Ribeye: Maakov Beef Sonora México, Establecimiento YOREME, Brangus Steer, Mexico.
Grain-fed Striploin: Frigorífico Las Piedras, Establecimiento Las Piedras, Aberdeen Angus Steer, Uruguay.
Grass-fed Ribeye: Elisabel Restaurante Las Lilas, Establecimiento Estancia y Cabaña Las Lilas, Aberdeen Angus Steer, Argentina.
Grass-fed Striploin: Frigorífico Las Piedras, Establecimiento Las Piedras, Aberdeen Angus Heifer, Uruguay.

The winning cuts will also be entitled to use the CMDC® seal in the marketing of their beef, as a symbol guaranteeing the highest standards of quality.

Quality Week Expands the Evaluation Process

One of the main new features of this edition was the introduction of Quality Week, an evaluation stage held from September 11 to 13 at specialized restaurants and hotels across the country.

Participating establishments included Manso, Elena, Madre Rojas, Corte, Viejo Patrón, Furia Puro Fuego (Mar del Plata), Berria, Brava, Volver (Ushuaia), Gaucha, Casa del Visitante and El Fogón (Mendoza), Happening, Lo de Jesús, Pobre Luis, Estilo Campo, Mako Fuegos y Vino (Santa Cruz), Villegas, and Casa Mandinga.

A Forum to Discuss the Future of Beef

In addition to the judging sessions, the World Meat Championship brought together influential voices from across the global meat industry in two exclusive panels. Moderated by Leandro Gentini and Rodolfo Reich, Jon Ayala, Juan Gaffuri, Stanley Hogg, Alejandro González, José Fernando Céspedes, Egon Neufeld, Milagros Medina, Antonio Torelli, Valdecir F. Pinto Junior, and Carlos Ojea Rullán shared their perspectives on beef quality, production, and the challenges facing the industry internationally.

With its second edition, CMDC® continues to expand its evaluation model, combining technical criteria, sensory expertise, and an international perspective to recognize beef quality and highlight the work of every link in the production chain.