Grill’d’s 172nd restaurant will open in Byron Bay, NSW, with most of its beef burgers featuring the revolutionary ‘Gamechanger beef’ that reduces methane emissions by up to two-thirds. 

Australia's favourite home-grown burger brand Grill’d is partnering with the Byron Bay community to open its first Northern Rivers location on Jonson St. And Byron is pretty special - as this is the first time nationally the Grill’d team has been able to serve free-range, grass-fed, black Angus Gamechanger beef as a standard inclusion across most of the beef burger range. Happy cows, happy planet, happy burger-lovers! 

Gamechanger beef is juicy and delicious, it’s surf and turf, but not like you know it. In 2018, the geniuses over at Sea Forest, led by CEO and Byron local Sam Elsom, figured out that by feeding cattle a small amount of naturally sourced seaweed (Asparagopsis - native to Tasmania), you could massively reduce methane in cow burps by over 67% (and counting). 

“It’s been a long, hard and slow process to set up our own farm that would enable us to lead the way with progressive, kind and sustainable farming. But over 2 years later, we can’t wait to open our doors to the community of Byron, and introduce them to our more sustainable beef, paired perfectly with 100% natural, fresh and locally-sourced ingredients. As an example, our cos lettuce will be supplied by Stacked Farm on the Gold Coast, which practises revolutionary carbon-negative vertical farming,” said Grill’d Head of Strategic Sourcing Zoran Ristov. 

“As a company, we’re focused on evolving and progressing sustainable farming, particularly within regional areas where we operate. We invite locals and visitors to swing by after a surf, kick back and chill out and enjoy our healthy, tasty burgers.” 

“Grill’d have been important partners to us at Sea Forest and pioneers in bringing low emissions beef burgers to Australians and we’re proud to see this grow to where it is today, opening the first dedicated restaurant in my hometown,” explains Sea Forest CEO Sam Elsom. 

“Our work at Sea Forest is important globally and has the potential to reduce over 30% of global methane emissions but our impact can only be created through collaboration. That’s why we’re thrilled to be working together with the team at Grill’d, to create real climate impact today.” 

In addition to the planet-saving beef, the restaurant will also utilise 100% GreenPower (matched with power from renewable electricity sources) and will be charged by 21 solar panels, whilst also converting to Great Wrap, the only Australian made compostable stretch wrap that diverts food waste from landfill, reducing the restaurant's use of plastic. Our restaurant staff are also kitted out in organic sustainable uniforms - with our signature Grill’d bandanas made from recycled plastic bottles.

Grill’d has a commitment to engaging and supporting local charities and community groups within its local restaurant locations, via its nationwide Local Matters program. Since 2011, Grill’d’s core DNA has been about giving back, having raised over $7 million for more than 30,000 groups. For the month of December, the Byron community groups include Byron Community Primary School, Byron Bay Basketball and the Byron Bay Football Club. 

On opening day (Thursday 21st December), the restaurant will be offering 100 free burgers to the local community from 10.30am (until stocks last). 

Restaurant location: 7 Jonson St, Byron Bay, NSW 

The Wagyu burger range will not feature the Gamechanger beef (work in progress for 2024) For more information visit grilld.com.au or follow @grilldburgers 

About Grill’d 

Established in Melbourne in 2004, Grill’d is one of the largest privately-owned restaurant groups in Australia. With 172 burger restaurants across the country and one in Bali, Grill’d employs more than 4,000 staff, and prides itself on working with local suppliers to ensure the provenance, quality and freshness of all its ingredients. Over the years, Grill’d has been recognised for its outstanding service and dedication to excellence by winning awards such as QSR Media’s 2023 Multi-Site Restaurant of the Year, KPMG’s Top 10 Australian Brands in Customer Experience Award and Roy Morgan’s Australian Customer Satisfaction Award for Quick Service Restaurant Of The Year in 2018. Additionally, each Grill’d restaurant donates $500 back into their local community each month. Through this ‘Local Matters’ program, Grill’d has donated more than $7 million to local communities across Australia. www.grilld.com.au 

About Sea Forest: 

The Sea Forest team is dedicated to fighting climate change by being the first in the world to cultivate Asparagopsis at a commercial scale. Composed of the industry’s best scientists, the team is producing commercial volumes of Asparagopsis by using the most effective production facilities and methodologies in the world. Their headquarters is based in Triabunna, Tasmania. It is here, in both the lab and hatchery, where the team develop world-leading Asparagopsis cultivation methodologies.