With the kick off of Zootly’s Cannabis Cup 2021, one seed bank we knew we had to collaborate with was Biltong and Budz. As one of South Africa’s best cannabis seed banks, their passion for the industry attracted the Zootly team.
Just a huge shout out to the Biltong and Budz team for donating the second prize for Local and International Strains to the value of R5000.
These seeds include:
- FastBuds 420,
- Kosher Cake Auto,
- DNA Genetics R.K.S,
- Royal Queen Seeds Royal Medic CBD,
- MosTight Lemon Meringue,
- Exotigenetix Hoe Down,
- Blimburn Mamba Negra Auto,
- Ripper Seeds K.Mintz,
- Dutch Passion Bubba Island Kush,
- Barney’s Farm Vanilla Kush,
- Massmedicalstrains Fivestar,
- Purple City Genetics Saltwater OG auto,
- And Sincity Seeds!
That’s a lot of seeds if you ask us! We decided that we need to recruit our freelance writer to call Paul Mavros, Manager at Biltong and Budz.
Getting things up and running at Biltong and Budz
Back in 2014/2015, founder Ben and his close friend Grant saw a gap where no one else did – selling seeds. They were excited as avid growers. And after a few people asked where they sourced their Cheese seeds, the two of them identified an opportunity to turn a passion into a business. Finding seeds for other passionate growers and bringing in new/unique strains for them to try out.
With a small loan of R3 500, a WhatsApp group, and a load of hard work, Biltong and Budz was born.
While it still operated underground, more and more people started to find out about the company. This explosion in demand meant there was a need for something bigger and more accessible. Eventually Biltong and Budz had to create and open their website to all South African growers.
“We wanted to establish a South African cannabis seed bank that offered locals the opportunities to grow the best,”
Owner of Biltong and Budz, Ben.
Biltong and Budz were interested in selling cannabis seeds that was internationally unique. While in other horticultural circles most would be able to access this library of seeds, but with marijuana growers, they were not allowed to stretch their desires and interests. So, the crew at Biltong and Budz reached out.
As you can imagine, with most entrepreneurial cannabis beginnings in South Africa, the constitutional court ruling on 18 September 2018 at 10h00 changed everything.
A new cannabis seed world!
From being invested in just keeping operations on the “low down”, now the team could really ramp up operations, and take a more mainstream approach, as Mavros elaborates,
“Biltong and Budz started out on a WhatsApp group where like-minded growers would look for different genetics. Now, everyone in the country had an interest in growing cannabis. And we needed source seeds from around the world.”
With this move to the spotlight, Ben and his now small team had to start sourcing seeds quicker. What used to take three months to import was now being delivered in three weeks for those that knew about Biltong and Budz.
For the first time, Biltong and Budz opened a Facebook Page and started their online e-commerce site.
While 2018 saw a boom, the pandemic has really encouraged South Africans to grow their own.
Sales were ticking over until March 2020, which changed the game for us. Since then, Biltong and Budz has been struggling to keep up with demand and we’re swamped with new local breeders, who we always welcome,
Mavaros
But with the new attention came new competitors to the game, which Biltong and Budz would rather see as collaborators,
Right now, we are all working together to build this industry,
Mavros
One thing is very certain about their crew; they want to collaborate and make the cannabis industry an inclusive and open space.
Let’s get everyone onboard
If there’s one ethos Ben and the Company believe in it is all about the upliftment and collaboration in the South African cannabis industry. It’s how Mavros landed the job,
I actually won a Biltong and Budz competition and through that met and started chatting with Ben. We found that we aligned on a lot of ideas and visions. One thing led to another and now we’re working together to create a seed bank that’s accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Mavros
It’s this drive to collaborate that drove them to take part in Zootly’s Cannabis Cup as Chris Landman, Founder and Owner of Zootly, explains,
When it comes to collaborating in the local cannabis industry, relationships matter. And we love working with the Biltong and Buds crew. They are professional and super friendly.
Landman
Striving for professionalism is at the core of Mavrocoleas’s goal for Biltong and Budz, from marketing to stock. The first step, though, has been updating the website and UX, as well as social media channel communication,
Sometimes it feels like people assume we are like the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’, sitting underground, stoner creatures munching on pizza and saying dude to each other. This is so far from the truth. We’re professionals.
Mavros
Biltong and Budz has a Genetics Crew/Department who are constantly on the lookout for the latest and next best thing. We also have an office crew that handle customer care, delivery, and who are constantly looking at streamlining distribution channels. Currently, I am in constant communication with international and local breeders daily. There is an amazing amount of work and effort that goes on behind the scenes.
Sourcing only the best strains!
Biltong and Budz takes sourcing only the best strains seriously.
Currently on the site there are over 70 listed breeders the website, including the best from Europe and America.
Also, the company prides itself on having extensive knowledge of the European cannabis scene. Over the last 6 months we’ve been sourcing our new branded Biltong and Budz Genetics, which we will be launching on our site soon. And, in other big news will be already available in certain major garden centers and grow shops around the country.
In September 2021, Biltong and Budz will be running a promotion highlighting some of the best local breeders for Heritage Month. While there’s been a focus on creating a proper channel for these local players.
A great example of a breeder in South Africa breeding their own strains is Garden Route Genetics (GRG). We have seen over time who the GRG catalogue has grown from one strain into what it is today.
Biltong and Budz has ambitions to grow as a business, but at the same time they’re invested in creating jobs and a better cannabis lifestyle for all South Africans.
Creating a better cannabis future for all!
The company has also run competitions where budding designers and cannabis fans can submit designs for merchandise. Winners’ designs have been licensed and printed and the winners now receive a commission from the merchandise sold.
Also, with the vast selection on the site, there’s a seed for all types of growers from the budget-restrained to the mega-watt grow tent specialist looking for that unique strain.
Biltong and Budz is true to its word when it comes to creating opportunities in the cannabis industry, as Mavros explains,
In a country where business-to-business relationships are conducted with apprehension, the Biltong and Budz team wants to buck the trend by creating a cannabis environment where there’s no competitors, but rather collaborators. Working together to make the cannabis industry in South Africa a professional, profitable, and open one.
Please give them a follow on social media and visit their website for Heritage Month!
