About Us

The Meat Up is owned and operated by Canterbury Biltong.

THE MEAT UP
With a growing family, we decided it was the perfect time to consolidate the online shopping experience by providing our customers with one user-friendly hub to purchase biltong and jerky in one place. 

It not only a place where these great brands “meat”; it’s a place where our brand values and company culture pillars unite. We believe in creating a culture that encapsulates great friendship. We lead from the front and believe in providing a workplace that encourages our staff to lead and motivate, to be loyal and reliable, to listen and support, and finally, to have fun. 

So here’s to the sunrise hikes on the hillside, the secret surf spots that only the inner circle know about, the beach adventures with your bestie, and the selfies with your oldest and dearest. From cheering each other on to take the leap into the unknown, to the satisfying sound of the clink at happy hour. 

The Meat Up.
Because life is just better with mates.

THE STORY BEHIND THE BRANDS

CANTERBURY BILTONG

We began Canterbury Biltong by mistake – really.  David, the company’s founder and director, just wanted some decent biltong which, in 2002, was relatively unobtainable in New Zealand. Sure, there was biltong, but it was pretty average stuff. A friend had taught him an old family recipe when he was at his farm, and he had used it many times to transform kudu, bushbuck, and wildebeest into the stupendous meaty snack that is biltong.

It was time to dust off his old dryer, which had travelled from South Africa to New Zealand. After a couple of batches, he found that his Kiwi friends, who had never tried it, loved the stuff, and a glimmer of an idea was formed. David and Nicole took a large batch of cut-up plugs of biltong down to the Hokitika Wild Foods Festival.
A communications error had the product down as dried bulls’ balls on the programme. People loved it. They stood back and gave it a good once over before stepping forward to try it. Word spread, and “bulls’ balls” became a thing.

Canterbury Biltong was formed and grew from farmers markets and shows back in the early 2000’s to currently supplying thousands of grocers, supermarkets, service stations, and duty free and tourist stores in more than 11 countries and growing all the time.

“Each new store or supermarket chain gives us a rush, says David, but our favourite store was our first one – Fresh Choice Merivale in Christchurch.”

“We couldn’t believe we had got something we had created into a supermarket.”

Canterbury Biltong products have been taken all the way up Everest and down to the Antarctic, tramped the New Zealand great walks and sailed the high seas; they are stuffed into gym bags and kids lunchboxes, hang out on long road trips and grace lavish cheese boards.  They are your go to high protein, great tasting, guilt free snack.

Click here to learn more about Canterbury Biltong and to shop the range >>

BITEMEAT
In 2015, BiteMeat was born out of a growing need for a range extension, providing a variety of flavours in a convenient 50g pack. Packaged in a clean, modern look, each pack provides 27.5g of protein and is the perfect size for when you're on-the-go.  
Click here to learn more about BiteMeat and to shop the range >>

BOOTLEG JERKY
In 2024, Canterbury Biltong purchased Bootleg Jerky. For over a year prior, we were the driving force behind the scenes, meticulously crafting Bootleg Jerky's premium products with the same level of care and attention to detail that we apply to our own. It was a no-brainer to welcome Bootleg Jerky to the team.
Click here to learn more about Bootleg Jerky and to shop the range >>