The Original Protein Bar: How Premium Biltong From m-eat! Is Ushering in a New Era for Healthy Snacks

LONDON, July 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In unprecedented times such as these, with consumers making drastic changes to their buying habits and demanding more ethical products, classically-made biltong is changing the UK health snack market for the better.

Award-winning m-eat! biltong is independently-sourced, prepared, packed and delivered straight to consumers, giving them the ability to customise orders and pick different combinations of flavours in a unique subscription model.

The COVID-19 crisis has caused many people to reflect on health and fitness. Within days of the lockdown being announced in the UK, orders for m-eat! biltong increased fourfold, demonstrating a palpable shift from traditional, high-sugar protein snacks to natural alternatives made with nutritious ingredients. 

"We knew there was a market out there for biltong when we first launched last year," says Mark Arasaratnam, CEO of m-eat!. "What we weren't prepared for was the rise in demand we saw as soon as lockdown began. Like many businesses, we have had to adapt to a new way of working. What we have now is a sustainable subscription model that supports people's demands for ethically-made products and a user-friendly online shopping experience. It is clear to me that people are now holding themselves to a higher standard."

Uniquely, m-eat! is independently owned and financed. All the meat used for the biltong is sourced from UK farms, and prepared and packed in the company's own HACCP and SALSA accredited facility in Wimbledon.

Orders are managed through a proprietary platform that provides customers with an entirely bespoke experience where they pick and choose from a variety of options that can be changed each month. This attention to detail and commitment to ethical standards stands m-eat! apart from other snack providers.

Biltong is hardly a new fad. m-eat!'s snacks are made using a 400 year-old South African recipe that faithfully recreates the original methods of curing and preserving meat from the rump of the bull. 

Biltong is an excellent source of protein and provides many health benefits. From professional athletes to followers of the popular ketogenic diet, more and more people are turning to biltong as an alternative to high-carb, high-sugar snacks. It not only offers a tasty high-protein boost which aids in muscle recovery, but it keeps you full for longer while replenishing your energy reserves.

The UK is actually the perfect place for the biltong market to thrive. Strict regulations and high farming standards mean the beef is fully traceable back through the supply chain to individual animals at a selection of farms in Scotland.

Lisa Gardshol is one of m-eat!'s co-founders, and has worked in the biltong industry for 17 years. She sees this as a turning point for consumers in the UK.

"We created m-eat! because we love good quality biltong and were disappointed with what the market had to offer," Lisa says. "We knew that our beef had to be ethically sourced and fully traceable to create authentic biltong. When our subscribers take receipt of their m-eat! box, we can tell them which farm it's come from. We can explain the curing and drying process. We are giving them peace of mind, as well as a wonderfully tasty, nutritious snack." 

About m-eat!

Founded in 2018 by friends and biltong enthusiasts Lisa, Brett and Mark, m-eat! offers premium biltong made simply using quality ingredients, straight to consumers.

We only use premium beef, hand cut by our master butchers. We always tenderise our biltong in spices that are rich in coriander, salt, pepper and vinegar before slow drying for three days to achieve the same consistency every time. 

Over 50% of our m-eat! biltong is protein. It is low in carbs and fat, and, unlike beef jerky, we never add sugar. Our biltong only contains sugars which are naturally occurring in beef, which is typically around 2%, versus 30% in beef jerky.

We source directly from farmers that produce the best quality meat and put animal welfare first. All our beef comes from fully-traceable prime cattle from certified UK farms.

For further information about biltong and m-eat! Visit https://m-eat.co.uk/ or contact Luis Pinheiro at [email protected], +44 799 0913373