Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
ROSS MCDOWELL IS under no illusion that converting Irish stomachs to jerky-style cured beef will be a hard sell.
“There is a bit of an education required for this type of product, especially in Ireland,” he admits.
But the former engineer is hoping to ride the wave of the protein-is-good movement and make a mark on the multibillion-dollar global industry with a little help from the reputation of premium Irish beef.
McDowell launched his own brand of “protein on the go”, called Stript Snacks, in October after a stint working in South Africa.
It was there that he was first bitten by the cured-beef bug in the form of biltong, a local staple.
McDowell said he found the salty snack a good protein boost for his lifestyle of surfing and mountain biking, and started experimenting with making his own – which he taste-tested on his Cape Town colleagues.
How it’s done
The process is simple and, by virtue of this, chemical-free: the meat is cut into strips, seasoned and then left to air-dry for several days. Finally, it is cut up ready for eating.
The end result is a product naturally high in protein and, with the right meat, low in fat, although the sodium content could give nutritionists a few heart palpations.
However the South African variant differs from most American-style jerky because it is sliced after drying, leaving it more moist than the US meat snack.
McDowell said he decided to make a business of the after returning to Dublin with his wife and realising he could combine biltong with high-quality Irish beef.
The main feedback I was getting was this was a new product so people were a bit standoffish, but once I got people to taste it 99 times out of 100 they liked it,” he said.
Big bucks in jerky
But McDowell said it soon became clear the business had to work on a large scale and expand outside Ireland to make money.
While meat snacks may not be popular yet on this side of the Atlantic, in the US jerky is a near-$1.5 billion industry – and one which continues to grow apace on a general appetite for protein-rich products.
Source: Giphy
Other local companies have also joined the biltong fray with Haynestown Meats producing theirs in Co Kildare, alongside Longford-based Uncle Bok's and Dublin's Jaqals & Wolf.
McDowell paired with Dublin-based Kepak to develop his product after graduating from the Food Works programme, a joint Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc initiative for food startups, in 2013.
Since the product's full launch in October, it has been picked up in a string of convenience stores, gyms and sport-supplement specialists, and McDowell's next goal is to take it to the UK.
"I have deliberately not called it beef jerky - I think people see that as being unhealthy and processed," he said.
The market is really shifting a lot. I'm really watching the states and it's really shifting towards the healthy end - that's what everyone's working towards."
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Amazing achievement. Congratulations Saoirse!
@Smidgen Dublin: it’s a great achievement for her alright but a horrible category this year.. Scarlett Johansson gave an acting tour de force in marriage story, can’t see anyone other than her winning. But, to be nominated is still amazing.
@Peter Cavey: Scarlett deserves to win, but Any Hollywood biopic nominee always gets it so it’ll be Renee
Delighted for her.
A great achievement to have so many nominations at such a young age. She comes across as really down to earth and likeable and represents Ireland well.
Just waiting for all the usual begrudgers to start commenting on her accent…
@Daragh Cassidy: in fairness its you that’s starting it.
@Daragh Cassidy: yeah what is the craic with the accent? Seeing as you mentioned it.
@Daragh Cassidy: Last sentence is your true agenda. Rest of it is filler to get you to said agenda.
Just how little were these women?
I assumed they were all under 5 feet – but I was wrong apparently!!!
Great actress but OMG ladybird was sooooo overhyped ….. sheeyte to be honest .
@Camacsaint: little women is worse. Daytime tv.
@alan: chick flick
Was gobmsacked to learn Bela from Fair City is her Father. Some family of actors. Well done Saoirse.
@Marbles: No hes not it’s another fella from fair city
@Marbles: you’ll need to fact check that one Marbles …
@Marbles: hes not
@Marbles:
I’m sure her real father would be even more shocked!
@Marbles: her father plays Anto Collins in Fair City
@Marbles: Paul Ronan’s acting career started in TV and films since the mid-’90s, notably as Edso Dowling in the Ballykissangel TV series; other TV appearances include Rebel Heart and The Tudors. But yes he did a role as Anto in Fair City a few years back. His most notable achievement along with his wife Monica, was mentoring, nurturing and developing a most fantastic young lady Saoirse.
@Marbles: stay out of the research industry
@Marbles: Best laugh so far this year. I hear Fr Michael Clearly was Donald Trumps third cousin. You might fact check that there Marbles. Gas ticket.
@Charles McCarthy: As they say, don’t ever meet your heroes, you’ll be dissapointed.
The Oscars? Yawn.
Hope she wins it.
@Pat O’Leary: couldn’t give a s**t.Her wiining won’t butter my parsnips.
Joker deserves to clean up including best actor Oscar for JP
Some achievement well done on a side note can’t see Joaquin Phoenix getting best actor after his rambling expletive laden speech at the Golden Globes .
@Bass demon: That’d be a shame. Incredible film. The cinematography was superb too.
@Bass demon: they don’t vote on best or worst acceptance speeches -which is just as well or half the oscars won would be taken back by now – he will win it because the acting in the Joker was great – he just owned the screen and would be a worthy winner in my opinion
@Dave Hammond: Not saying he isn’t worthy of it but with these PC laden shows they like the winner to keep it simple and thank God and their mother. However he might pull a Marlon Brando and send Greta Thunberg to accept the award.
@Dave Hammond: they reckon Mikey Rourke ruined his chances of an Oscar after his acceptance speech at either the Baftas or Golden Globes, can’t remember which
@Bass demon: Give him a script and he can make you believe anything. When he’s not acting he can’t string a sentence together.
Always the bridesmaid unfortunately. Not her fault….great actor
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Don’t worry. She’ll get a Lifetime Achievement Oscar by the time she’s 35.
Fantastic to see 4 nods for Parasite – Bong Joon Ho is one of the greatest directors in the world in the last 15 years!
Great….not… saw her in an interview a few years ago… patronizing and annoying…
No nomination for De Niro?
@Cowboy Paddy: For what? Pesci can act DeNiro into a banbox.
@Cowboy Paddy: Thought Pacino stoke the show tbh, de Niro was de Niro and Pesci just stumbled thru it, have to say Joker 9 nominations!!! Thought it was a pile of shite…most left cinema with me said it was crap.
have your say