Chomps, producer of meat snacks, today announced the launch of a new protein: chicken. The new three-flavor chicken lineup marks a major evolution beyond the company’s signature beef, venison, and turkey offerings, it says.

After more than a decade in development, Chomps’ new chicken sticks deliver the same satisfying “snap” and bold flavor that has built the brand's reputation, it says. All three flavors, Original Chicken, Nashville Hot, and Savory Breakfast, deliver 12 g of protein and just 80 calories with zero sugar, and are made from antibiotic-free chicken. The sticks are formulated with real ingredients and contain no sugar, artificial flavors, colors, or artificial preservatives.  

Chomps’ Chicken campaign is built around a straightforward idea: It tastes like chicken. Because it is. Chicken is a consumer-favorite protein that allows Chomps to offer nutritious snack options to a broader audience of customers, it says.

Despite the average American consuming 100 pounds of chicken per year, chicken is still widely underrepresented in the meat snack category, only accounting for 1% of the $8.2 billion meat  snacks category. While the overall meat snack market continues expanding rapidly, the chicken segment remains an untapped market opportunity, the brand notes.

“We saw a clear gap: America’s most consumed protein wasn’t meaningfully represented in a category we’ve helped grow," says Rashid Ali, CEO and co-founder of Chomps. "Chicken isn’t just another product line; it's an opportunity to reshape an underdeveloped segment and  continue to raise the bar for what consumers can expect. We set out to deliver a snackable take on America’s number one protein, elevated by the flavor and quality Chomps brings to the category. We’re proud and excited about what it unlocks for our loyal customers, but also those that haven’t discovered us yet.”  

According to the company, the new Savory Breakfast flavor is among the first of its kind, transforming meat sticks from a primarily daytime snack into an all-day option, including in the morning when customers are often short on time. Today’s on-the-go breakfast landscape is dominated by hidden sugar and carb-heavy options, but this new flavor gives customers a way to boost energy at the start of their day. Meanwhile, the Nashville Hot flavor is Chomps’ spiciest to date, a direct response to customer demand for more heat, the brand notes. This community-driven approach to innovation showcases the brand’s commitment to listening to its customers and delivering the bold flavors they actually want, it adds. The Original flavor rounds out the trio with a savory chicken taste.

“At Chomps, we are laser-focused on making real, high-quality food more accessible,” says Stacey Hartnett, SVP of marketing at Chomps. “We ask ourselves: does it nourish us? Is it delicious? Does this fit into our customers' lives? The answer with our chicken line—as with our other products—is a resounding yes.”  

“Chomps is a brand of uncompromising quality standards, so we weren’t going to launch chicken until we were proud to put our name on it,” says Matt King, sr. director of R&D at Chomps. “Chicken is not commonly found in the snack aisle because it is a complex protein to   formulate. We spent years working to perfect the flavor and texture, without compromising on the high-quality standards that Chomps is known for. Our goal is to raise the bar for the entire category.”  

The chicken sticks will have rolling retail availability starting in April. Chomps will showcase the new chicken sticks at Natural Products Expo West (March 4-6) at booth #N519 in the North Hall, outside hall A, and at the upper-level North Hall entrance.   

Related: Chomps to open new facility in NE