A TASTE of Southern Africa has come to the Dales - and Yorkshire beef farmers are celebrating.

Gary Quinn, 38, and his Botswanan bride-to-be Thomo Leteane, 31, have been overwhelmed at the response to their launch of Bare Earth Biltong, a dried meat-snack product.

Biltong is traditionally made from strips of springbok or kudu haunch, herbed, salted and left to cook-dry in the sweltering African sun. The result is a jerky that preserves well over long journeys.

But the couple's version is made from 100 per cent Yorkshire beef brought to their processing plant at their home in Melmerby, then cured and slivered into brightly-coloured packaging.

Now pubs have expressed interest in stocking Bare Earth, following in the footsteps of the region's top delicatessens such as Lewis & Coopers in Northallerton and Farrah's Food Hall in Harrogate, where the product is "flying off the shelves." It comes in various flavours including, original, with garlic and with chilli, and sells at £1.95.

Rachel Gillbanks, spokeswoman for the York-based North East region of the National Farmers' Union, said: "The launch of this product couldn't be better timed as beef farmers are being asked to look increasingly for added value with new markets. It is both welcome and exciting.

"And given that the English Beef and Lamb Executive has just voted Yorkshire beef as the best in the country, who knows? They might even start exporting Yorkshire biltong to South Africa."

The couple first met while working together in the food industry. Thomo formerly worked in Botswana for the National Food and Technology Research Centre as a food technologist. Gary, a former foods engineering manager, was introduced to biltong while travelling around Southern Africa with Thomo.

Updated: 09:17 Tuesday, July 27, 2004