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Key things to know
D.Jays Gourmet started in a Perth home kitchen in 1985 and has grown into a nationally distributed brand, but the focus on local is still built into how the business operates. This post covers why they only use Australian beef, how the Malaga factory employs local staff, what fresh products are available for Perth pickup, and how they support local charities and community groups.
We’ve grown from a tiny, home-based operation into Australia’s leading supplier of packaged beef jerky and biltong, and although DJays Gourmet now supplies its famous dried meat products right across this vast nation, we still retain a strong local focus.
From getting behind local footy teams and donating to local charities to supporting Aussie cattle farmers and employing locals, we love our community and are committed to giving back as much as possible.
Our strong local focus is influenced by a number of factors, not least of which is our company history.
DJays Gourmet started out as a ‘mom and pop’ operation way back in 1985, when Derek (a highly skilled butcher) and his wife Jo began making biltong in their Perth home for their friends and family who had also moved from South Africa to Australia.
As immigrants, they understood and appreciated the value of building relationships and establishing a network within their local community – and as word spread and demand for their delicious biltong and jerky grew, they realised there was an exciting future for the company.
In 1999, the family upgraded to a purpose-built and HACCP-approved facility in Malaga in Perth – and from those humble beginnings 40 years ago, DJays now prides itself on producing the best beef biltong and jerky in Australia as well as on having the highest quality standards and customer service.
The company is still family owned and run and we’ve never forgotten our heritage and what it meant to be welcomed by a new community. A key factor in the company’s growth and success has been an unwavering focus on all things local – and as we mentioned earlier, that has involved everything from using the finest ingredients in our products to our staffing.
We only use premium grade, 100% Australian beef for our jerky and biltong because we’re fully committed to supporting our amazing Aussie farming community who are the lifeblood of this country. Plus we know that Aussie beef is the best in the world – and as we only use the finest natural ingredients in our products – we’d never settle for anything less!
Another thing that people may not know about DJays Gourmet is that we only use beef for all our dried meat products.
Whilst jerky can be made using other animal proteins like pork, lamb, chicken and turkey, we’ve chosen to only use beef in order to remove any possibility of cross-contamination in our factory.
Our factory is located in the Perth suburb of Malaga and we’re proud to call ourselves a local employer. We make all our products in the factory and distribute them countrywide from here.
Our professional butchers also make the most delicious fresh beef burger patties and boerewors (traditional spiced South African sausage) – but these are only available for pick-up from our Malaga premises. So if you’re in Perth, do as the locals do and pop in for a pack or two of the juiciest, freshest burgers and a few coils of ‘boerie’ – perfect for a family feast or entertaining friends!
Find out more about where you can buy our fresh beef burgers and boerewors.
We try to support as many local charities and charity groups as possible by donating gift boxes for prize giveaways and raffles. As we say in the biltong FAQs on our website, we are always interested in serving our community, so please feel free to contact us in regards to the sponsorship you’re after.
We also invite you to visit our DJays Facebook page or Instagram profile for some examples of how and where we’ve supported local communities.
Here at DJays Gourmet, we understand what it means to be part of a local community.
Our founders were emigrants to Australia and were welcomed into their adopted community and country – and that legacy and appreciation continues on today in our family owned and managed company.
We understand the importance of supporting Aussie farmers, and hence we only use premium beef raised on this great southern land in our dried meat products and our fresh burgers and boerewors.
We appreciate the valuable role that local social and sporting groups, charities and community organisations play in the development of a strong and healthy nation – which is why we’re very happy to support their hard work and fund-raising efforts with DJays Gourmet prizes and giveaways.
Whether you buy your biltong and jerky directly from our Perth outlet or order online for fast, efficient delivery to your door anywhere in Australia – we’re all part of a local community and together we can be stronger! Get in touch or order your biltong and jerky online here.
D.Jays Gourmet is a family-owned business based in Malaga, Perth, Western Australia. They’ve been operating from their purpose-built facility at 22 Midas Road since 1999, though the business originally started in 1985 when founders Derek and Jo began making biltong at home.
Yes. D.Jays Gourmet is Australian owned and operated, with its factory, staff, and production all based in Perth. They use 100% Australian beef and have maintained that commitment since the business began over 40 years ago.
Yes, but only for Perth customers. D.Jays Gourmet produces fresh burgers and boerewors that are available for factory collection from their Malaga facility. These products are not available online or for shipping. Collection only, during trading hours (Monday–Wednesday 7:30am–4:30pm, Thursday–Friday 7:30am–3:30pm).
Yes. D.Jays Gourmet donates gift boxes to local charities and community groups and has supported initiatives including the “Ag in a Box” agricultural education programme. It’s one of the ways they give back to the Perth community that has supported the business since 1985.
Arron Zamel has been General Manager of DJays Gourmet since 2015 and under his expert leadership, the company has cemented its reputation as Australia’s leading supplier of packaged jerky and biltong.
His strong family connection to South Africa, his marketing and management degree from Monash University, his technical expertise plus his experience as a successful entrepreneur and import/export business owner made him the ideal candidate for the challenging position.
Additionally, Arron’s innovative approach to management, his proven brand-building credentials, his strong customer focus and youthful energy have ensured that DJays Gourmet’s high-quality biltong and jerky have become Australia's dried meat treats of choice.
He understands traditional South African flavours and the precision techniques required to create truly authentic biltong, jerky and droewors (dried sausage). Part of his job is overseeing operations at DJays' purpose-built facility in Perth, WA where tons of Australian beef goes into making premium dried meat products each month for distribution to retail and wholesale customers across Australia.
For more insights into Arron’s world, visit the DJays Gourmet website, check out their Facebook page or follow them on Instagram @djaysgourmet.