About KBA

R.L. Freeborn, the visionary behind KBA™, Inc., is a fourth generation beef producer.  He has long been involved in both the seed stock industry as well as the exporting of high quality beef to the Japanese market.  Through the years, Freeborn has developed working relationships with Japanese breeders and feeders. Those relationships have allowed him to acquire the superior genetics that make producing America's highest quality beef possible.

Focus On Wagyu

At KBA™ we focus on Wagyu cattle, the Japanese animal typically used for the Japanese style beef delicacies. Freeborn has organized producers from various parts of the United States. Under his direction, they're channeling animal genetics and feed programs to produce superior beef products exclusively for KBA™.

Two Decades Of Scientific Research ... Four Centuries Of History

Since 1976, when Wagyu cattle were first introduced to the U.S, substantial improvements have been made in the breed's eating characteristics.  One of the leaders in American Wagyu production is Washington State University. In fact, it was with the encouragement of WSU staff that Freeborn embarked upon the development of KBA™.  Many of the cattle used in this program are the direct results of the genetics that have originated through the University's Wagyu progeny testing program. With their help, Freeborn is now producing a consistent supply of Japanese specification beef. 

Testimonials

"In working with KBA's Wagyu and American style Kobe beef I have found when it comes to tenderness and consistency there has yet to be another beef that in my mind comes close. Plus, KBA exemplifies the characteristics of a rich succulence that is never cloying or greasy that is intrinsic of the Wagyu breed. I have client after client that concur. Exceptional!"

John Paul Khoury, ACF/CCC
Corporate Chef
PREFERRED MEATS, Inc.

"I've been in the meat business for more than four decades, and in that time, things have changed dramatically. Hartung Meats was privileged to be appointed as one of the first Certified Angus Beef distributors in the Northwest. When that happened, I thought I'd seen the best beef program in America. I was wrong.

When KBA™ showed me their product, it became clear that by using sound scientific data, better feeding techniques and total program management, they were producing predictably high quality beef with unmatched flavor and eating characteristics. It is superior to any other branded beef program in the US today. Try it. You'll like it."

-Tom Hartung, Hartung Meats