Growing up in Pretoria, South Africa, Ben developed an early fondness for the “biltong,” a local style of jerky, which his grandfather served up at his butchery (some of the “best in Pretoria”). All grown up and making a home in Brooklyn, New York, Ben realized the taste he associated with road trips through the South African landscape could translate perfectly as a protein-rich, sustainable snack.
Dried steak might seem like an odd vehicle for charitable causes, but owners Ben and Em were inspired by their love of Brooklyn to use their snack brand in the effort to ease homelessness in the borough. For each bag of the fortifying, seasoned dried steak that Biltong sells, the company gives some back to the homeless of Brooklyn. This “Eat and Feed” mentality was inspired by the couple’s ties to South Africa, and their desire to use an African product to support American people, and to follow a business model that champions social good.