THIS IS TEXAS WAGYU
VISITING WITH KENNETH BRADDOCK – RANCH MANAGER, ROSEWOOD RANCHES
STORY & PHOTOS BY MELISSA MCBRIDE
STEAK PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSEWOOD RANCHES
Rosewood Ranch is a Texas Wagyu ranch in Ennis, Texas where heritage Wagyu genetics merge with century-old Black Angus lineage.
Q: Kenneth…we sure are seeing more and more of you— in publications, online reels, and even on packaging as the Ranch Manager at Rosewood Ranches! About how many others do you work with in making important decisions about the Wagyu beef products?
As Ranch Manager, I oversee operations at Rosewood Ranches in Ennis, Texas — but I’m just the face of this work.
The truth is, our success comes from four distinct but interconnected ‘lanes’ working side by side — and we know
not to get in each other’s lane! The other three are equally as important. We have our Meat Company Manager, our
Operations Manager, and our CFO.
Q: How did you get interested in ranch management in the first place, and what were experiences that lead you to Rosewood Ranches?
I graduated from TCU’s Ranch Management program and then bounced around a bit while deciding what I wanted
to do. I grew up in the dairy world — my dad was a dairy farmer — so I had to get that out of my blood. I was also
very interested in embryo transplantation in cattle back in the ’70s, when it was brand new. I helped a friend in
Van Alstyne (where I went to high school) get his ranch started. I met my beautiful bride, ViAnn, at a dance and
married her six months later. Then we moved to Paris, Texas, and started an embryo transplant company, with
Carroll Shelby as a partner. He was one of the neatest guys I’ve ever met, and I was blessed to deal with him for four
years. After we closed that company, Rosewood Ranch became part of my life on October 14, 1985. The Rosewood
Corporation is all part of the Caroline Hunt Trust. I met and was hired by one of her sons, Bunker Sands, who was all
about ranch conservatism and not taking the land for granted. I worked for him for 18 years before he passed away.
I sure enjoyed working with him and miss his friendship to this day. His brother, David, took over but passed away
two years later. Now the grandson, Wilson Sands, has taken over and is doing a fantastic job. I’ve been here so long
that I’m working with the grandkids! I feel really blessed to work with a family that totally trusts what I am doing,
but is still very much involved.
Q: What is the difference in Wagyu beef from the ranch? What makes it stand apart?
Each animal is pasture-raised and finished with great care. Our beef is always antibiotic-free, it’s high in Omega
3, and it’s good for you—but everything in moderation, of course. The way we take care of the animals results in
marbling, a buttery mouth-feel, rich flavor and texture that we are proud of. We are still big on conservatism and
caring for the land. It all starts with the grass and conservatism.
Q: Now that you’ve drawn us in with the taste difference, where can our readers find Rosewood beef on menus or at retail locations? Who are a couple of your distributors that have helped in the company’s growing success?
Off the top of my head, in Dallas, you’ll find our beef at Meridian, Avra, Town Hearth, MFG’s No. 1 Steak, Carbone, Evelyn, Al Bernait, and the Dallas Athletic Club. If you’re in Vegas, stop by Bazaar Meat or the Foundation Room. When in Charleston, North Carolina, try Halls Chophouse. If you want to stay local in Ellis County, try the Rosewood
Wagyu steak sandwich at Fern in the Wild in downtown Ennis. In Mabank, B4 Barbeque (voted a Top 50 in Texas)
just switched to all Rosewood Wagyu. As for retail outlets, The Meat Shop in Dallas, Hamm’s in McKinney, The
Chopping Block in Houston, and; most recently, The Blind Pig Butcher & Market in Waxahachie. Forum Meat right
here in Ennis was one of our first distributors and continues to contribute to our success. We are forever grateful for
them. Distributing through Allen Brothers has also had a significant impact on our expansion, taking us nationwide,
so we are very appreciative to partner with them.
Q: What are the high quality Wagyu beef products that are sold from Rosewood Ranches?
We have a whole animal to sell, so we try to make use of everything. Of course, we have the finest high-end beef cuts.
In our grinds, we offer the best burger meat, beef franks, sausage—including our new jalapeño-queso sausage—
plus jerky, and tallow. We even have beef tallow lip and skin balms in various flavors and scents.
Q: The new ranch website, RosewoodBeef.com, is quite spectacular. You also mention working with top chefs in creating engaging, cinematic online content. I’m hoping readers will peruse your site and see some of their favorite chefs in action!
I’ve had lots of fun with some of the best chefs out there! I love taking quick day or overnight trips to drive or fly out
to visit them onsite at their restaurants. I don’t like spending too much time away from the ranch, but dining with
each of them is a treat. Yes… all the videos are awe-inspiring — a cinematic journey that beautifully conveys our
vision of providing the highest-quality beef, coupled with their talent, preparation, and presentation. We sure enjoy
it when they come out to the ranch, cook and hang out in the kitchen. You’ll find chefs like Kent Rathbun, Matt
Ford, Julian Barositti, and Michael Lamping on our site. Getting to know Chef José Andrés has also been a highlight,
and the work he has done with World Central Kitchen is remarkable. Michael Lane also uses our products. Taylor
Sheridan has become a good friend, and it’s been a whole lot of fun being around him. My daughter, Lucy, is a chef,
and we had the opportunity to cook for Taylor and Sam Elliott. We are very blessed to have partnerships with all of
them. We are committed to operating in pursuit of excellence.
Q: Give us a snapshot of family life on the ranch…and what lies ahead?
My wife and I have now been married for 43 years. We love living out here on the ranch in Ennis. I always say… why
would I want to be gone from the ranch very long when all of this is my backyard? We have three exceptional children
and eight awesome grandkids who love hanging out at the ranch with Poppy. In fact, one of our buildings is nick-
named ‘Poppy’s Meat Room.’ I’m 70 and don’t see myself retiring anytime soon. Everyone has been asking me about
retiring recently, and I don’t know the answer—because I sure love what I do.
Q: We hear some pretty crazy stories about how and why Wagyu beef tastes so delicious and is so tender. Is it true that the cattle get massaged and you feed them beer? (wink)
With a thousand head of cattle and about 10,000 acres, we don’t have time for that. This isn’t Japan. We have wide
open spaces and lots of cattle to care for. This is Texas Wagyu… and we don’t waste beer around here! (laughs)
“Rosewood Ranch isn’t simply about producing Wagyu — it’s about embodying a tradition of conservation, precision breeding, and a relentless pursuit of flavor integrity.”
