According to an interview with CapeTalk published by BusinessTech, Charl de Villiers, chair of the Game Meat Industry Association of South Africa (GAMESA), says the growing international market for biltong is prompting calls for new laws to protect its South African identity.
A geographical indication (GI) is a label that ties a product to a specific region and set of production standards. It is used to guarantee authenticity, quality and traceability, and can be enforced through intellectual-property legislation.
South Africa already benefits from GI protection for rooibos tea, and the European Union grants similar status to champagne. De Villiers argues that biltong, which is air-dried and spiced differently from beef jerky, deserves comparable protection to preserve its unique process and reputation.
For small and medium-sized biltong producers, a GI could open premium markets but would also bring compliance costs. The proposed standards would cover how the meat is dried, the spice blend, food-safety protocols and traceability, requirements that already apply to exported meat but would become mandatory for domestic branding.
The industry is also wrestling with a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that has limited exports of the traditional South African style biltong. De Villiers notes that existing food-safety rules from the Department of Agriculture would still apply, but a GI could help differentiate compliant products in overseas markets.
De Villiers extends the discussion to droëwors, another dried-meat product closely linked to South African heritage. He suggests a Southern African GI that encompasses both biltong and droëwors, focusing on standards rather than restricting production to South Africa alone.
The proposal is still at the consultation stage. GAMESA supports a regional GI that protects the name and quality of biltong while allowing producers outside South Africa to meet the defined standards. Any final legislation would be overseen by the CIPC, the body responsible for intellectual-property registration in the country.
Industry stakeholders are watching the process closely, as the outcome will shape export strategies, branding costs and the ability of small producers to compete internationally. For the latest regulatory developments, see the Regulatory & Policy coverage.
De Villiers highlighted that biltong has already “established itself as a global product”, stressing that worldwide consumers associate the snack with South Africa, a point that underpins the push for protection (CapeTalk interview). He argued that the product’s distinct air-drying method and spice blend set it apart from other dried meats, reinforcing the case for a label that signals authenticity beyond mere origin. By anchoring the name to South African heritage, producers hope to safeguard the reputation that has been built through decades of export growth, even as new markets emerge across Europe and North America.
The interview revealed that biltong’s expansion is being hampered by the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, which limits shipments of the traditional South African style. De Villiers noted that while existing food-safety rules still apply, a geographical indication could act as a “seal of approval” for compliant batches, helping them stand out in overseas markets where consumers are increasingly wary of disease-related risks. This dual approach of maintaining safety standards while adding a heritage label aims to preserve market access despite the outbreak.
According to De Villiers, producers in the United Kingdom who cater to large South African communities often replicate the South African air-drying process, creating a product that closely resembles home-grown biltong. This similarity raises the question of whether a geographical indication should be limited to South Africa or extended to a broader Southern African region. He suggested that a regional label could accommodate such producers while still ensuring that the core standards defining authentic biltong travel with the name.
When discussing droëwors, De Villiers described it as “very synonymous with our heritage” and argued that it deserves comparable protection to biltong. He emphasized that any intellectual-property framework should focus on preserving the production standards, such as spice composition, drying time, and traceability, rather than imposing a strict geographic fence. By aligning droëwors with the same protective mechanisms, the industry hopes to secure the cultural legacy of both products for future generations.
De Villiers warned that a blanket restriction limiting the name “biltong” to South African-made items could alienate established producers in the United Kingdom and other countries. He pointed out that such a move would “take out all of the other legitimate producers who already exist in the UK”, potentially sparking trade disputes and undermining goodwill. Instead, he proposes first defining the authentic characteristics of biltong and then protecting those traits, allowing non-South African makers to use the name only if they meet the agreed standards.
The next step in the process involves a formal consultation, after which the CIPC would handle the registration of any approved geographical indication. Once registered, producers would need to demonstrate compliance with the stipulated standards, covering air-drying techniques, spice blends, food-safety protocols and traceability, before they could label their product as protected biltong. The timeline for this registration is tied to the conclusion of the consultation phase, after which the legislation would be enacted and enforcement mechanisms put in place.
