DiscoverHumans of Agriculture"We started with one steer": how David McGiveron and Bianca Tarrant built mega meat biz Our Cow
"We started with one steer": how David McGiveron and Bianca Tarrant built mega meat biz Our Cow

"We started with one steer": how David McGiveron and Bianca Tarrant built mega meat biz Our Cow

Update: 2025-08-25
Share

Description

An 'overnight success' is often many years in the making and that's certainly the case for the Our Cow empire.

Husband and wife duo Dave McGiveron and Bianca Tarrant scraped together a deposit to buy a small cattle property in 2019 and fulfill their dream of being 'mad weaner producers'.

With just one steer to their name, they launched a direct-to-consumer meat business which soon exploded into a meat subscription powerhouse turning over more than $40 million a year. 

But it hasn't been without sacrifice, failure and some hair-raising stories of tackling challenges head-on. 

Hear what it takes to build Our Cow with two people determined to tighten the connection between consumers and the producers of their food. 

takeaways

  • Transitioning from mining to farming requires significant lifestyle changes and sacrifice 
  • Drought taught valuable lessons about resilience and mindset
  • Business coaching helped shift their perspective from victim to controller
  • Innovating during crises can lead to new business opportunities
  • The subscription meat model provided stability and growth
  • Crowdfunding engaged the community and provided necessary capital to scale up operations


chapters

00:00 Introduction and Exploring the Dynamics of a Husband and Wife Partnership in Farming

08:56 The Journey to Owning a Farm

14:22 Facing Challenges: Drought and Mental Resilience

17:15 Innovating Through Crisis: The Birth of a New Business Model

27:49 Navigating Growth: Challenges and Opportunities

30:29 COVID-19: A Catalyst for Change

36:54 The Subscription Model: A Lifeline for Survival

42:00 Crowdfunding: Engaging the Community

Check out the meat subscriptions on offer at Our Cow - we think anyone directly supporting Aussie farmers deserves a plug!

Explore more stories of Humans of Agriculture - don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend and let us know your thoughts at hello@humansofagriculture.com



Rabobank Deposits - Partnership
Rabobank was founded by farmers, for farmers. And today, they remain proudly focused on supporting Aussie farmers, food producers, and agribusinesses - the people who grow the food that sustains us every single day.

Brekky, lunch, or dinner - we rely on farmers at least three times a day. They're the quiet heroes behind every meal.
And here’s something many people don’t realise:
Rabobank’s deposits are used to support Australian farmers.

That means the dollars entrusted with Rabobank go directly into strengthening the food system that feeds our nation.
It’s the perfect circle, your dollars support Aussie farmers while they support you... You can learn more at
rabobank.com.au.

Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

"We started with one steer": how David McGiveron and Bianca Tarrant built mega meat biz Our Cow

"We started with one steer": how David McGiveron and Bianca Tarrant built mega meat biz Our Cow

Humans of Agriculture