It’s all about distribution! Of course this is what the industry movers and shakers, AKA ”distribution”, keep drumming into my head. The point though is authenticity and flavor uncompromised by mass retail requirements for volume. It’s much more cost effective to work from mulch then natural raw product. This will not be the case for SIMPLY AFRICAN’S traditional beef biltong. It WILL be made authentically and it will be in your local supermarket or ACE Hardware I guarantee you that.

More to come as I reach out to the JSB and Jack Links fellas to guage the playing field. Keep checking back. Time for Change! Remember that??? NO MORE RECONSTITUTED MEAT PRODUCTS…

Check out our website – www.sameat.com or even better tell your friends (those authenticity seeking Biltong lovers) to visit our products page for more info. We are about to launch our Droerwors Snack Stick so keep checking back.

Brad – Owner – SA Meat USA - Manufacturer of Simply African Biltong

So here’s the RECIPE:

Traditional South African Beef Biltong

INGREDIENTS:

100% more time consuming to produce

1 x Far more expensive cut of lean meat

10 x Additional labor

100 x more space required to “air dry”

RESULT:

10 x more expensive to produce then your regular Jerky snack stick, oh, and did I mention the difficulty in finding a facility that is actually certified to produce the product and willing to produce it in such a way as not to  if you can actually find a facility that is certified to make the product in such a way that it does not detract from the quality we have come to expect from our South African delicassy.

The search continues… Our Droerwors, however, is coming along so keep checking back for more. We hope to have it ready for sale before the Holidays.

Brad Dodson – SA Meat USA

Turns out an industry fella new someone who invariably new someone else who ultimately passed me on to the right chap. To all those aspiring to launch a new product there’s a quote that I live by - ”Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure”… Edward Eggleston

The Simply African Biltong and Chilli Bites will have to be on the back burner for now. It turns out that producing whole muscle prouct tends to be far more expensive and labor intensive. Simply African will be launching our Traditional “Droewors” (dried Sausage) soon. This popular South African snack stick is equally as popular as Biltong and has more in common to the American snack stick style jerky which makes is easier to produce.

Simply African Snack Stick

Throughout my persistence I came across many helpful companies and individuals who were more then happy to guide me in the right direction. One of those I wish to note is Westerns Smokehouse. What a treat to have spent time discussing Simply African. Very encouraging…

Check back soon and keep and eye on our Products Page to see when we start shipping…

Brad.

African culture is incredibly interesting because it is so diverse. Every African country is a mix of tribes each with their own unique language and culture. Countries as small as Uganda have more than 30 tribes. Here are links and articles covering arts, crafts, languages, tribes, religions, food and more which will help make your African trip a richer experience.

Africa Festivals and Events (21)

African Languages (11)

African Food and Drink (13)

African Music (9)

African Greetings: 35 Ways to Say “Hello” in Africa

Learn how to say hello in several African languages spoken in Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Botswana, Malawi and more. Being able to greet someone in their own language will help you enjoy your contact with local people even more while visiting Africa and the effort will certainly be appreciated.

Slave-Trade Tours in West Africa

Slave Tours to West Africa. Information about major slave-trading sights in Ghana, Benin, Senegal, and the Gambia for travelers interested in visiting these sites. Lists of heritage tours, slave tours and roots tours are also included.

African Proverbs
African Proverbs offer wisdom and poetry in just one sentence. Proverbs play an important part in African cultures all across the continent. The beauty of proverbs is the universality of their meaning, everyone can relate to them in some way, on some level. Yet they are also uniquely African and help us gain an insight into African culture.

Recycled Art
Recycled Art from South Africa. Made in the townships, these toys, art objects and functional items are made from scrap metal, soda cans, bottle tops and plastic. They are colorful, durable and they make for some truly unique and wonderful souvenirs.

The Maasai People of East Africa
An introduction to the Maasai tribe of East Africa. The Maasai are pastoralists and warriors. Self-sufficient and proud, the Maasai are now struggling to maintain their traditions. Their grazing lands are being parceled off and much of it is now protected National Park land. This article also lists some cultural tours for those interested in spending some time with the Maasai people.

The Himba People
The Himba are semi-nomadic pastoralists who live in Kaokoland which is in the Northwest of Namibia. The Himba are a striking people to look at because they have maintained their traditional culture and dress. The women are topless and cover their bodies with a paste made from fat and ochre. This is an introduction to the Himba including links to tours.

The San Bushmen (Basarwa) of the Kalahari
The San (or Basarwa) people of the Kalahari are more commonly known as the Bushmen. The San are traditionally hunter-gatherers and live in small mobile family groups. This article gives an overview of San traditional culture as well as present day issues. It also lists various cultural tours so visitors can experience a little hunting and gathering themselves.

The Samburu of Kenya
The Samburu live in Northern Kenya, in the beautiful Rift Valley region. The Samburu are staunch traditionalists and still lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle for the most part. Visitors to the region can enjoy staying at a community run eco-lodge or hop on the back of a camel led by a Samburu warrior.

Images of Omo River Tribes, Ethiopia
Images and information about Ethiopian Tribes living in the Omo River Region, Southwestern Ethiopia. Images include the Mursi, Hamer, Bodi, Ari, Bumi and Karo tribes of the Omo River region of Ethiopia. Each tribe has its unique customs, language, rituals, and ceremonies.

Photos of Rural life in Ghana, West Africa
Images of daily life in the villages of Ghana, West Africa

Goree Island, Senegal
This guide to Goree island in Senegal lists tours and information regarding this historic slave-trading island which is an important place of pilgrimage for many African-Americans. This guide to Ile de Goree (Goree island) tells you what to see on the island including the Slave Museum, where to stay, how to get there and the importance of its historic past as a major slave trading center.

Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast
Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro (Basilique de Notre Dame de la Paix), Ivory Coast.

Best Books About Africa
My personal top ten list of best books about Africa. Reading up on a country before you visit makes the vacation so much better because you get a little deeper understanding of what’s going on around you when you’re there. Africa has been blessed with several Nobel prize winning authors including JM Coetzee (South Africa) and Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt).

Top 10 Movies Set in Africa
Best movies and documentaries about Africa. This top 10 African movie list reflects my personal taste and includes the classics like “The African Queen”, and more recent movies like “Blood Diamond”. All of these movies are worth watching if you are interested in traveling to Africa. Knowing a little more about the history and culture of a region you’re visiting will only enhance your experience.

Gifts for Africa Travel Enthusiasts
Gifts ideas for Africa travel enthusiasts include links and information for Africa travel magazines, travel gear, African crafts, Books, movies and more.

Christmas in Africa
Christmas in Africa is celebrated throughout the continent where there are christian communities. This article looks at the festivities, church services, dinners and more that happen throughout Africa at Christmas. There’s also information on how to say “Merry Christmas’ in several African languages.

Kingsley Holgate, An African Explorer
Kingsley Holgate is a modern day African Explorer. His hero is David Livingstone, but unlike the Scottish explorer, Kingsley was born and raised in Africa. In the past decade Kingsley Holgate has led many expeditions several of which he has documented for National Geographic.

Football (soccer) in Africa
Football (soccer) in Africa is a passion shared among all Africans from Morocco down to South Africa. Start chatting about football to a young African man and you’ll establish an instant connection. This article gives you some tips on what to talk about, lists the major upcoming football events and provides links to African soccer sites.

Languages of Africa
A truly comprehensive list of the mind-boggling number of languages that exist in Africa. Just click on the country you are interested in and be prepared to be amazed.

African Cultures
A good overview of the major African cultures including; Afar, Ashanti, Bambara, Berber, Fulani, Hadza, Hausa, Herero, Hutu, Kikuyu, Maasai, Mbuti, Somali, Tuareg etc.

Africa Focus: Sights and Sounds of a Continent
The University of Wisconsin brings this wonderful collection of more than 3000 slides, 500 photographs and 50 hours of sounds from forty-five different countries in Africa.

Africa at the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008
Africa’s Olympic Games in Beijing 2008. Individual African country information regarding Olympic squads, star athletes, medal contenders and more.

A Basic Overview of the People and Cultures of Africa
A good introduction to the people and cultures of Africa from The Africa Guide. It includes an overview of some of the major African tribes, African art and crafts, music, dance, weddings, festivals and events.

Source: About.com – Africa Travel