JOHN McKew is the first to admit the Angus breed has done a great job at marketing.
But as the Hereford Society's new chief executive, knocking Angus off its perch is the least of his concerns.
Mr McKew, who takes over the reins as the Hereford boss this month, said Angus had done a "really good job at getting their brand out there".
"People know about the Angus brand for everything from sausages to fine-end dining," he said.
"But the success of Angus doesn't mean that other breeds can't do well.
"If we think that Angus has already taken all the opportunities, then we might as well pack up and go home.
"But I genuinely don't believe they have."
Mr McKew likes the spin-off from consumers eating more beef, even that spurred on by the Angus brand.
Mr McKew draws on his experience in the dairy industry, where growth in consumption in a category of dairy goods was considered a positive for the whole industry.
"If a category (beef) is doing well, then it is good for the category and good for all breeds who supply it," he said. "All producers benefit."
That's not to say that he won't be doing his darndest to make sure that Herefords start to regain some ground lost to their black cousins.
Mr McKew, from a farming background near Ararat, is now "soaking up information like a sponge" as he bones up on the Hereford breed's finer details.
"Of course I am going to say it, but I genuinely believe people are starting to either invest, or reinvest in Herefords," he said.
Melbourne-based Mr McKew will move to Armidale, NSW, to take up his role but he is keen to travel widely in his quest to meet the Hereford "family".
That "family", he believed, was more than just the stud producers and society members.
"Herefords are a historic breed with much to be proud of," he said.
"But there is such an extensive chain from producer to processor, a large stakeholder group, and I want to be able to listen and talk with each sector.
"All of these people need to be involved and need to be able to have a say to make the breed a success.
"There are breeders who are passionate about their breed who can talk up the Hereford brand.
"We always need to remember that we are reliant on other people - we can't do it on our own."
Proving his willingness to be accessible, Mr McKew will spend the first week on the job out of the office.
He will be a keen observer at the Western District calf sales, seeing first hand the role Herefords have in Australia's eighth biggest cattle-producing region.
Underpinning his obvious enthusiasm and drive for the role is a sincere wish for Hereford breeders to be profitable.
Mr McKew acknowledged the place of shows, of champion ribbons and breed events, but said the ultimate goal was to ensure Hereford breeders were commercially viable.
"It's no different to any other business, so if a breeder can translate show success into a message about fabulous genetics so these genetics become a premium value proposition, then that's the way they should be thinking," he said.
He's also keen for Hereford producers to ensure they have their house in order when it comes to issues such as food safety, the environment and live export, saying: "We do not want to do anything to disrupt the Hereford brand."
