By Donwynne and Amy Bergh
Some days in business feel completely surreal. For us, one of those was standing outside our little biltong unit with microphones clipped on and cameras pointing at us, trying to look calm while we waited for The Hairy Bikers to arrive.
Waiting for the bikes
The crew arrived first to set everything up. We were buzzing with nerves and excitement, secretly checking our teeth, brushing spice dust off our clothes and reminding ourselves how to talk like normal people on camera.
Then the message came through. Dave and Si were on their way. A few moments later we heard the motorbikes, and there they were: Dave Myers and Si King, pulling up with huge smiles. No rehearsal and no warm-up, just cameras rolling and us doing our best not to look overwhelmed.
Meeting Dave and Si
What struck us straight away was how warm they were. Within seconds they had us laughing. They had a natural way of putting people at ease, and very quickly it felt less like a TV shoot and more like showing two genuinely interested people around our little business.
They asked proper questions. How did we make our biltong? Where did the idea come from? Why did we care so much about the beef we use?
That meant a lot. Inyama started in our kitchen, with Donwynne missing a real taste of home from South Africa. Like many good ideas, it began with a craving, a small biltong dryer and a slightly chaotic amount of enthusiasm. We started it in August 2022, alongside our full-time jobs, and we wanted to make proper biltong with good British beef and simple ingredients.
Sharing our biltong
We walked Dave and Si through how we make it, from the beef and the spice blends to the drying and slicing. They tasted the biltong and asked about the flavours. Si tucked into the samples, especially the curry flavour, which was a lovely surprise. Dave was fascinated by the curing and the spices.
You could tell they loved food, but even more, they loved the stories behind food. They weren't there to film a quick segment and move on. They listened, they encouraged us and they gave us their full attention. For a small business like ours, that meant the world.
Before they left, they gave us big hugs, wished us luck and left us with kind words we'll never forget.
Remembering Dave
Shortly before the episode aired, we were heartbroken to hear that Dave had passed away. Knowing that our visit was part of one of his final filmed journeys makes the memory even more emotional for us.
It's hard to put into words. In the short time we spent with him, Dave was exactly as you'd hope: kind, funny, curious, warm and completely down to earth. He made us feel proud of what we were building. We feel incredibly lucky to have shared that day with him, and it's a memory we'll always carry with us.
What the episode meant to us
Being on The Hairy Bikers Go West was a huge moment for Inyama. It put us in front of so many new people, and it also felt like a real moment of encouragement. We were still finding our feet, working long days and learning as we went. Having Dave and Si visit, try our biltong and show such genuine interest gave us a boost that's hard to explain.
Found us through the show?
Hello, and welcome. We're so glad you're here.
Inyama is a British biltong brand, founded in Devon, and our take on proper South African biltong. With Donwynne being South African, we know what biltong should taste like. Our biltong is made to our own recipe, the traditional South African way: marinated, then slowly air-dried. We use 100% pasture-fed British beef from Farm Wilder farms across South West England (read about our beef). New to biltong? Start with What is biltong?
It's high in protein, gluten free, with no added sugars* and no MSG.
*Contains naturally occurring sugars.
Whether you're a long-time Hairy Bikers fan, a curious foodie, a South African missing the taste of home or someone looking for a high-protein snack, we hope you find something you love. If you'd like to try the flavour Si tucked into, start with our Cape Curry Biltong, at £24.99 for 6 packs, or try the lot in The Whole Herd mixed 6-pack. Delivery is free on orders over £65, and our Christmas gift guide has ideas if you're buying for a fellow fan.
On TV again
We've since taken part in Channel 4's Aldi: The Next Big Seller. Our episode airs on Thursday 3 December at 8pm on Channel 4. There's a little more about it in Inyama on Aldi: The Next Big Seller.
Read more about us, or browse all our biltong.
Thank you for stopping by. And thank you, Dave and Si, for a day we'll never forget.