Established in 2019, Zango Brand from Ghana offers a distinctive take on jerky, known locally as kilishi, a traditional West African dried meat snack. The brand emphasizes natural preservation methods, drying thinly sliced beef, sheep, or goat under the sun, which is then coated with a spicy paste made from local ingredients such as peanuts, peppers, garlic, and onions. For added variety, some flavors also include a hint of honey, balancing spice and subtle sweetness. This process results in a jerky that’s not only rich in flavor but also high in protein and ideal for those seeking a healthy, non-GMO, and gluten-free snack.
Available in both “Slightly Hot” and “Hot” flavors, Zango’s kilishi is popular among customers for its robust taste and long shelf life without preservatives. The brand’s commitment to quality has made it a favored option for both local and international customers, and they offer dependable shipping options to ensure freshness on delivery. This Zango Brand kilishi is distributed under the name of The Zango Company Ltd., and it is located in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana, Africa.
The first review on Zango Brand will focus on a 1.5 ounce/43 gram bag of their Hot flavored halal kilishi. The flavor is described as being dried out under strict hygienic conditions in the sun until brittle and then dipped in a spicy paste that consists of choice peppers, peanuts, onion, garlic, and salt, with a little honey added to the mix. This bag was purchased online from amazon.ca.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Lean Beef Muscle, Honey, Clove, African Nutmeg, Peanuts, Onion, Ashanti Pepper, Candlewood, Ethiopian Pepper, Pineapple of the Bush, Ginger, Salt, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Thyme Allergen Warnings: Peanut
Zango Brand uses selected cows on their farm that enjoy a 100% organic diet, roam freely, and live happy, healthy lives with no chemicals, cages, or suffering. As a result, the ingredient rating starts at a Very Good (9/10) rating.
There is no liquid marinade used. After the kilishi is dried under the sun, the sheets are dipped into a paste, which includes healthy honey.
There are many healthy ingredients added, such as cloves, African nutmeg, peanuts, onion, Ashanti pepper, candlewood, Ethiopian pepper, pineapple of the bush, ginger, chili pepper, garlic, and thyme.
International jerky seems to measure their quantities differently than North America in the nutrition facts table. There is minimal sweetness, and it does not taste overly salty.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, salt acts as the main preservative. Admirably, there is no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
ZANGO BRAND – HOT HALAL KILISHI
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell absolutely nothing, no odor whatsoever. There is only one piece of jerky in the bag. It is large and it is sliced thin. The jerky is rigid and dry, just as our forefathers intended.
When I bite into the jerky I am met with a myriad of flavors. I taste salt, pepper, garlic, and mild sweetness, along with a discernible kick. This flavor is emanating with mystery flavors, which I cannot pinpoint my finger on, but they are tasty, to say the least.
Overall, this jerky is a perfect 10/10.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Hot halal kilishi flavor from Zango Brand: “Thanks Paul for the positive taste review. This is only our second review on kilishi. In the first review, the kilishi used peanut butter. Paul detests peanut butter, and that totally skewed his taste review. This kilishi uses peanuts and thankfully it was not an issue with Paul in this taste review. I definitely taste peanuts, which is unusual with beef, but I love the taste of peanuts. Paul nailed it in that there are a myriad of flavors that are difficult to pinpoint. The saltiness is at a mild level, the garlic/onion at a light level, and the sweetness also at a light level, where it is true that the honey flavor is subtle tasting. The natural beef flavor is at a good level, but it’s hard to tell being muted out by so many other flavors.”
“There is definitely some heat present. The heat level would rate a 2 or 3 out of 5 on a heat scale. Thankfully, the sweetness is minimal. The overall taste profile is a complex blend of unique flavors that work well together to produce a unique experience with no single flavor standing out. I too cannot find a single complaint with this hot kilishi flavor. A unanimous Excellent (10/10) taste rating will be awarded. Congratulations Zango Brand, A very enthusiastic two thumbs up!!👍👍
This 1.5 ounce/43 gram bag sold online for $11.99 CDN. That works out to $8.00 an ounce, which rates at a very expensive price.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything printed directly onto the bag, both on the front and back. The Zango Brand logo depicts the skull of a cow. There are high resolution pictures of kilishi, salt, garlic, hot peppers, and spices.
A slogan printed on this bag could be “Share in the Traditions of Old”. Some facts printed on this bag are “High Protein”, “Low Fats”, “Simply Delicious”, “Protein Packed Kilishi”, “All Natural Ingredients”, “Gourmet Beef Jerky”, “20g of Protein”, and “Estd 2019”. A heat scale is displayed, where this flavor is classified as hot.
The only missing bag category is a transparent window to view the jerky. An excellent blurb is printed on the back about kilishi. To the credit of Zango Brand, a phone number and email address are provided for customer inquiries. A handle is provided to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.
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