Thanks to Saloodo!: German-Namibian farmer expands to Europe

Here in Southern Africa, the entrepreneurs face the crucial question of finding the right partner for the global transport of goods for distribution in Germany and Europe.

Digital platforms have fundamentally simplified access to logistics

"While sitting on the terrace of our farm in Namibia, I was looking for an efficient solution for the onward transport of our biltong within Europe. That’s when I discovered Saloodo! With just a few clicks, the optimal transport service providers were booked and during the entire transport process I always had only one contact person. For me, the flexible service with complete transparency was another plus point: the response times on the platform were really great," says Valentin Külbs, Managing Director at KÜLBS Original Namibian Biltong, about his first experience with Saloodo!.

The completely digitized processes save users time and money, regardless of longitude or latitude. And the intuitive, simple user interface of the Saloodo! platform ensures that even customers with little logistics experience, such as the Külbs brothers, have uncomplicated, fast access to the right freight forwarder for their needs.

The plan is working: Europe-wide expansion

Biltong is air-dried beef and, apart from vinegar, salt and a few spices, is free of additives. In Namibia, the "steak on the go" has been a healthy, traditional snack for over 100 years, but it is also finding more and more sales in Germany and Europe. Tourists find the dried meat in the minibars of game lodges in southern Africa, but also at rental car companies for the small hunger in between. Selected German supermarkets are grateful buyers of the African biltong in the wake of the "low carb" and protein food trend, and Europe-wide expansion is also becoming easier for Valentin Külbs thanks to the uncomplicated transport options via digital marketplaces.

Two brothers – two continents – with a partner like Saloodo!

Already since the end of the 1950s, the Külbs family has been engaged in sustainable cattle breeding on their farm "Springbockvley". After the brothers Valentin and Jonathan Külbs lost their father in a tragic accident at an early age, the young men decided to preserve the family farm. While Jonathan continues the actual farm business with his wife Svenja, Valentin serves and expands the market in Germany and Europe. The goal is to leave more revenue with the farmers and in Namibia through first-class quality of products and services, as well as the reduction of intermediate trade stages in the medium term.

Successful with the right partner

Saloodo! is an innovative digital logistics platform meeting the needs of small and medium-sized companies, such as the cattle farms in Namibia. The platform is the right partner for full loads, part loads and general cargo shipments based on competitive offers – worldwide! Because since the foundation of Saloodo! in 2016, the company has continuously expanded, also outside of Europe, into growth markets such as the Middle East, Africa and South America. Today, Saloodo! already counts more than 30,000 shippers and over 12,000 transport companies among its customers. The platform is available in more than 50 countries on 4 continents.

For the Külbs brothers, this means an efficient, simple solution for their planned expansion in Germany and Europe – whether from Namibia or Germany.