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The phonetic spelling of Wagyu is wāɡyo͞o, pronounced “waa-gyoo.”

American Wagyu beef is often sought out specifically for its unique flavor, which many describe as buttery and melt-in-your mouth. This is due to its high amounts of marbling. Learn more about Wagyu beef here.

Wagyu and Angus are both breeds of cattle. “Wagyu” refers to four Japanese cattle breeds—Japanese Black, Brown, Shorthorn, and Polled—known for producing highly marbled, premium beef. In contrast, “Angus” refers to a breed originating from Scotland that is widely recognized for its strong marbling and overall beef quality.

Since Wagyu beef is commonly seen as a luxury item, you might assume you can only get it at restaurants. However, American Wagyu beef can make any gathering or meal extra special, and it’s easy to prepare yourself. Find Imperial American Wagyu products near you or shop online here.

We partner with retailers and restaurants across the country. Visit our Where to Buy page to locate Imperial American Wagyu products.

Quality is paramount to ensuring consistent flavor, which led us to develop our own grading system based on the more rigorous Japanese Beef Marbling Standard (BMS) scale. Rather than grading each individual cut, we evaluate the marbling of the ribeye on every carcass and assign the entire carcass one of four in-house quality grades using the Japanese BMS Scale.

Market: Comparable to USDA Choice, with a "Small to Moderate" marbling score, or a BMS of 3–4.

Classic: Comparable to USDA Prime, with a "Slightly Abundant to Abundant" marbling score, or a BMS of 5–7.

Signature: Comparable to a USDA "Very Abundant" marbling score, or a BMS of 8–9.

Reserve: The highest marbled beef offered by Imperial American Wagyu. Comparable to a USDA "Extremely Abundant" marbling score, or a BMS of 10–10+.

Keep in mind that grading systems vary among American Wagyu producers. Because each supplier may use different terminology and evaluation methods, it's important to understand how their grading system compares when assessing overall quality.

Our Natural Wagyu beef is minimally processed with no artificial ingredients or added colors, as defined by the USDA.

Imperial American Wagyu cattle are on a 100% vegetarian fed diet, meaning that the cattle never receive any animal proteins, by-products, or food waste in their diet.

Imperial American Wagyu Beef are born and raised on family farms across the United States.

Imperial American Wagyu cattle never receive or are fed added hormones throughout their lives.

When a herd or a member of a herd is ill, our Partner-Producers evaluate each circumstance carefully to determine if, when, and how to administer antibiotics. Antibiotics may be used to prevent, treat, and control disease and are always administered under the oversight of a veterinarian. When administering antibiotics, Partner-Producers adhere to usage guidelines that have been rigorously tested and approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

No, our cattle consume forage in their lifetime, but they are grain finished. Therefore, we do not make a grass fed and finished, or 100% grass fed claim.

No, we do not make an Organic claim. Currently, our program protocol does not require that our producers include non-GMO grass and forage sources in the feeding regimen.

No, we do not make a non-GMO claim. Our program protocol does not require that our producers include GMO-free forage or feed in the feeding regimen.