Best Biltong Brands in the US (2026): An Honest Top 10 — From a Competitor
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The best biltong brands in the US in 2026 span three tiers: national players you'll find in stores (Stryve, Kalahari, Ayoba, Brooklyn Biltong), regional craft makers (TX Biltong Co., Biltong Baron, Angus Biltong, Brett's Biltong), and direct-to-door craft brands — including us. Here's the honest ranking, with the obvious disclosure: I run a biltong brand, I'm on this list, and I'll tell you exactly where everyone beats us.
Why trust a competitor's list? Because I can't afford to lie to you. Every South African in Texas will check my work.
The national shelf brands
1. Stryve
The biggest US biltong operation — thousands of stores including H-E-B here in Texas. If biltong ever fully goes mainstream, Stryve will have done a lot of the missionary work. Widest availability, most flavors, most protein-bar-adjacent branding. Where they win: you can get it today, in person. Where craft wins: production scale means a more uniform, drier product than traditionalists prefer.
2. Kalahari Biltong
One of the earliest US brands, and consistently solid — clean ingredients, good texture, honest sizing. Regularly spotted in warehouse clubs and health-food stores. A very safe first biltong.
3. Ayoba
South African founders, USDA-inspected, and among the most authentic mainstream options — they also make droewors, which most shelf brands don't touch. Great flavor pedigree.
4. Brooklyn Biltong
The east-coast standard-bearer, now appearing in Costco rotations (our honest look at that here). Good product, strong per-ounce value in bulk.
The Texas craft tier
5. TX Biltong Co.
Made a national top-10 listicle or two, deservedly. Proper method, Texas beef pride.
6. Biltong Baron (Austin)
Our most direct local rival — sold around Austin with strong reviews. Austin having multiple biltong makers is a feature, not a bug; a rising braai lifts all boats.
7. Angus Biltong (Spring, TX)
4.9 stars and a loyal following in the Houston area. The kind of consistency that only comes from caring too much.
8. Brett's Biltong (Llano, TX)
Hill Country made, beloved reviews. Small, proud, worth a detour.
The one we're biased about
9. Billi Tong's Biltong (that's us)
My family's recipe from the Cape winelands, made with American grass-fed beef, air-dried for days, protein-packed, zero sugar. Two flavors at launch — The Classic and Hill Country Heat — with more coming. Where the big brands beat us: distribution and shelf presence; you won't find us in a supermarket. Where we beat them: the beef, the moisture (we don't dry it to cardboard), and the fact that the founder personally hand-delivers within 5 miles of downtown Austin. We ship USA-wide, free over $99.
10. Your local farmers-market maker
Seriously. Wherever you live, some homesick South African is probably curing beef nearby. Find them, buy from them, ask about their spice mix — you'll make their week. Biltong is a craft before it's a category.
How to judge any biltong brand
Check four things: the ingredient list (beef, vinegar, salt, spices — sugar is a jerky habit), protein per ounce (biltong should be high; ours is protein-packed), moisture (ask if they cut wet or dry), and whether they'll answer a question about their process. Everything else is packaging. For the method itself, read how biltong is made — and if a brand's story doesn't survive that article, you have your answer.
FAQ
What is the best biltong brand?
For availability: Stryve. For mainstream authenticity: Ayoba or Kalahari. For craft quality in Texas: the local makers on this list — including, we'd argue, us. The honest answer is to try one shelf brand and one craft brand side by side.
Is biltong from South Africa better?
You can't legally buy imported South African biltong in the US — it's banned. Every brand here makes it in America; what differs is method fidelity, beef quality, and care.
What's the difference between biltong and jerky brands?
Biltong is air-dried raw with vinegar; jerky is cooked, usually with sugar. Different products entirely — full breakdown here.
Skip the shelf. Try the craft tier — grass-fed, air-dried for days, delivered to your door.
