Aussie company Aquna to send Murray cod, caviar to Buckingham Palace after meeting King Charles

King Charles and Queen Camilla loved this uniquely Australian food so much they asked for it to be sent to Buckingham Palace so they can dine on it when they get home.

An Australian company is set to send smoked Murray cod and premium caviar directly to Buckingham Palace after meeting King Charles and Queen Camilla in Sydney.

Ross Anderson, chief executive of Aquna - an aquaculture company based in the NSW Riverina - spoke to the monarch for “about five minutes” at a barbeque in Parramatta Park.

Now, the company can now claim these uniquely Australian products really are fit for a King.

“He’s a very personable, very charming man,” Mr Anderson said.

“He’s very easy, very relaxed, I found him very genuine - the Queen as well, she was very straightforward.”

The package will contain Hot Smoked Aquna Murray Cod as well as Aquna Gold Murray Cod Caviar, both of which are produced using world-class sustainability practices.

“We said to him we would send some over and he said, ‘Ooh, yes please!’”

King Charles meets Ross Anderson, CEO of Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod, at Parramatta Park in Sydney on Tuesday. Picture: NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet

The company uses the nutrient-rich water from its facilities to irrigate crops and pastures in neighbouring fields, ensuring nothing flows into Murray-Darling Basin’s waterways.

“We also had a chat with [King Charles] about the fact that we release a couple of million fingerlings every year into the wild, so what was an endangered species is now a protected species. He was very interested in that and the freshwater environment,” Mr Anderson said.

Smoked Murray cod from Aquna. Picture: Supplied/Aquna

Aquna currently exports to seven countries and its products have appeared in top-hatted restaurants including Quay and Aria in Sydney as well as Society in Melbourne and Brae in Victoria’s Otways hinterland, because chefs love the creamy white flesh and high fat content.

Aquna Gold Murray cod caviar. Picture: Supplied/Aquna

The rare fish has also appeared on menus at the Raffles hotel in Singapore as well as Gordon Ramsay Bar and Grill in Kuala Lumpur and high-end Disney restaurants in the US.

Mr Anderson hopes the latest development will introduce Murray Cod to the UK.

“They took some product with them, I’m hoping the King will be sitting at Admiralty House and having a slice of Aquna hot smoked Murray cod with his eggs,” Mr Anderson added.

“They walked away quite happy and impressed, I think.”

Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.

King Charles delivered an address the community barbeque where he celebrated Western Sydney’s “vibrant and diverse” community.

“It is a particular delight to see and smell all the top tucker here today from Western Sydney’s vibrant and diverse community,” he said.

“The generous spirit of Australians has always made me feel welcome and that is true again today.”

Originally published as Aussie company Aquna to send Murray cod, caviar to Buckingham Palace after meeting King Charles