It’s the new low-fat snack loved by everyone from lorry drivers to Liz Hurley – and it’s made in the quiet village of Melmerby. Ruth Addicott finds out more about the latest craze for biltong.

FANCY some dried buttocks? It may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you’re looking for a tasty snack, but dried beef buttock – or biltong – is gaining an army of followers.

Yorkshire-based snack manufacturer Bare Earth specialises in South African-style meat, and since it started selling biltong five years ago, demand has soared. It’s so popular, even former supermodel Liz Hurley has got on board and asked the manufacturer to be the official supplier of her new low-fat jerky snack. It is currently stocked in Harrods.

Gary Quinn set up Bare Earth with his wife, Thomo, in 2003. As Thomo is originally from Botswana, they were already familiar with biltong.

Both also had a background in food production, and spotting a demand for low-fat meat snacks in Britain, they decided to combine their skills, sell their house and build a factory, selling biltong as pocketsized snacks at around £1.95 each.

At the start, they made and packed everything by hand themselves. But after sales increased, they had to move to bigger premises in Melmerby and take on eight extra staff.

“We thought we were doing really well when we reached 100 kilos a week,” says Gary. “We’re now producing two tonnes.”

So who are these people with a penchant for dried buttocks? According to Gary, it varies. They supply local delis, independent retail outlets and garage forecourts, so it could be anyone from long distance lorry drivers looking for a slimline substitute for a Yorkie, or health conscious foodies scanning the organic shelf in Waitrose.

Gary admits biltong isn’t the most appealing to look at, but says when people try it, they are “pleasantly surprised”.

“The thing that surprises them most is that it tastes of beef,” he says.

It is traditionally dried in the open air in South Africa, so Gary has had to adapt by installing a controlled air-conditioning environment.

GARY has tried to raise its profile further by taking along samples and getting people to try it at food exhibitions and trade shows.

“People do pull a face when I tell them what it is,” he says. “The general response is ‘oh god’, but once they’ve tried it they quite enjoy it and say it doesn’t taste as bad as it looks.”

“Kids often mistake it for chunks of chocolate and grab a handful. It is quite amusing seeing their faces when they realise they have got a mouthful of dried meat.”

According to Gary, biltong tastes a bit like the “outside ends of a welldone roast”, but a bit more peppery. He points out it can be used in pasta or as an alternative pizza topping as well as a snack, and is also keen to highlight the health benefits – it’s less than six per cent fat, made from natural ingredients and contains no artificial colourants or preservatives.

“Some people are put off by the fact that it’s air-dried, but when you explain that salami, chorizo and a lot of hams aren’t cooked either, people are more willing to try it,” he says.

Gary gets through about five packets of biltong a week (“probably more than I should”), and is now hoping there will be a new surge of interest this year with the World Cup in South Africa.

Bare Earth is hoping to capitalise further by branching out into ostrich and game biltong as well as beef.

Dried ostrich buttocks? “It’s tastier but a bit more chewy…”

A fairer cuppa

CLIPPER Tea is turning all of its green tea Fairtrade.

The move strengthens the company’s reputation as an ethical business and demonstrates its support for the work of the Fairtrade Foundation.

After launching the UK’s first Fairtrade Tea in 1994, Clipper has continued to develop its range of teas sourced from Fairtrade-accredited estates.

What began as the ambitious vision of its two founders 15 years ago, has become the hallmark of the brand.

Perhaps its greatest achievement, though, is that its close ties with Fairtrade have never impinged on the taste of its tea.

Clipper chief Tony Revill-Johnson says: “Green tea is becoming an increasingly popular lifestyle choice for many people, owing to its antioxidant properties and refreshing taste.

Now those drinkers can also do so knowing that in choosing Fairtrade they are helping to alleviate inequality and create opportunities for producers and workers.”