In the 1940s, when the Swartland of South Africa was made up of a few humble villages, Julius Roer, a German ‘Fleischmeister’, settled into the modest farming community of Malmesbury. Wanting to practise the craft he was passionate about, he and his wife established an authentic village butchery. Producing German specialities and exquisite meat products, they opened up their doors to the neighbouring communities. Pretty soon, everybody started to knock on the door of Julius Roer.

Later, H. Otto, a popular German butcher from the village of Elim, relocated his business to Malmesbury and joined hands with Julius Roer selling German specialities such as salami, Frankfurters and other cured and cold meats. Together, they combined traditional Fleischmeister techniques with top quality ingredients, cultivating a tradition of excellence under the name of Elim.