From fire investigation to Wagyu excellence

When Zelda Greyling first set foot on Frans Stapelberg's farm outside Marble Hall in Limpopo in 2019, Wagyu cattle were the last thing on her mind.

- 

At the time, Greyling was one of South Africa's leading forensic fire investigators, working across the continent for major insurance companies. She had been dispatched to Limpopo to investigate a blaze that destroyed Stapelberg's feed barn. What she did not know then was that this seemingly routine case would redirect her career, reshape her farming enterprise, and ultimately position her as one of South Africa's rising Wagyu producers.

It was during that farm visit that Greyling encountered Mitzi, a striking young Akaushi (red Wagyu) cow with exceptional breeding values that define the breed. For Greyling, it was love at first sight.

Stapelberg, then the chairperson of Certified Wagyu Beef South Africa (CWB) and one of the largest Wagyu breeders in the country, noticed her fascination. He began explaining the breed's unique genetic value, its global market premium, the strict certification protocols, and the importance of marbling to meat quality. He invited her to his upcoming production auction at the Atterbury Theatre in Pretoria, an event Greyling attended out of curiosity but left transformed.

There, in the glossy sale catalogue, was Mitzi. "When I saw her in the catalogue, I knew she had to come home with me," says Greyling. After competitive bidding, the hammer finally fell in her favour. Mitzi became the foundation female of what would become Bizon Farming's Wagyu enterprise.

The arrival of Mitzi on Bizon Farming, located in the Grootvlei area of Hammanskraal in Gauteng, marked the beginning of a new era for Greyling. She and her late husband had originally bought the farm in 2013 and farmed Simmentalers before his passing in 2016. Although Greyling continued to run the farm, it was Mitzi who provided a fresh purpose and a new trajectory.