The jerky subcategory also gained, although at a lower rate—reaching $2.5 billion for the year, it only climbed about 2.1%. Leaders in this column:

• Link Snacks (aka Jack Link’s): $912.2 million, a 2.9% drop
• Old Trapper: $403.6 million, an increase of 4.7%
• Bridgford Foods: $112 million, down 6.8%

Private-label jerky gained for the period, with sales of $359.9 million amounting to an increase of 11.1%.

The all other dried meat snacks subcategory (which includes meat sticks) had even better news for the year-long period. With $4.2 billion in sales, it gained 18.4% over the previous year. The top-ranked producers here included:

• Conagra Brands: $1.1 billion, a 0.5% increase
• Link Snacks: $844 million, a 7.5% jump
• Chomps: $715.2 million, a huge leap of 61.3%

Private-label dried meat snacks also had a notable increase; dollar sales of $379.8 million amounted to a 64.9% boost.

Looking back

Matt Brown, brand director for Conagra’s Slim Jim, is well aware of the success meat sticks have had over the past four years.

“Meat sticks have risen to a 54.4% dollar share of meat snack sales, up from 37.9% in 2022,” he shares. “Over the same period, jerky has fallen from 46.8% to 34%. One of the reasons is the superior value that meat sticks provide versus jerky—at $1.26 per ounce, meat sticks are a 30% better value to jerky at $1.80 per ounce.”

Catherine Weiner, senior brand manager at Vermont Smoke & Cure, says meat sticks have enjoyed success because meat is a simple, easy-to-understand protein, adding that consumer interest in the field (particularly chicken- and turkey-based product) can be chalked up to a number of things.

“First, consumers are looking for a leaner protein variety; poultry-based meat snacks are still underdeveloped relative to consumer interest, and that creates a meaningful opportunity for turkey,” she says. “Second, consumers are seeking flavor exploration without giving up familiarity. They want newness, but they still want confidence that the flavor will deliver. Third, consumers are using snacks across more occasions. It’s not just road trips or convenience stores anymore—it’s work bags, gym bags, lunchboxes, pantry reload, sports, travel, afternoon hunger, and even meal replacement.”

Courtesy of Greenridge

Claire Flannery, Greenridge’s senior director of marketing and media, shares meat snack producers (much like the consumers they are feeding) have been wrestling with a surge in prices across multiple areas.

Courtesy of Greenridge

“Our biggest challenges remain the rising costs of beef and fuel; these escalating expenses continue to put pressure on both internal profitability and external margins, ultimately costing the consumer more as well,” she states. “At Greenridge, we’ve viewed these challenges as an opportunity to evaluate our business more strategically, whether that is optimizing our product portfolio, strengthening supplier relationships, or identifying efficiencies throughout our operations.”

Courtesy of Greenridge

Kelly Dufour, director of marketing for Mighty Spark (which focuses on sticks made with chicken), says she believes conversations on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms has helped drive growth in several product areas.

“We continue to see social media have a massive impact on the market in many categories (beauty and fashion perhaps most notably), and this has come into food and snacking as well,” she notes. “TikTok has driven massive discoverability of products and brands, which drives market performance. This can certainly be a huge positive for many brands who have suddenly gained massive awareness and share; it has also led to supply challenges given unexpected demand.”

Courtesy of Mighty Spark

New Primal is another meat stick brand that specializes in chicken-based snacks. Founder/CEO Jason Burke says the protein has led to success for the brand.

“We have seen significant growth in both distribution and velocity, driven by products like our Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Stick and Snack Mates mini sticks,” he says. “Chicken has helped bring new consumers into the category and given retailers a way to expand beyond the traditional beef-dominated set.”

Courtesy of Mighty Spark

Brown says economic conditions have continued to impact production—however, he notes that the issue also offers opportunity for meat snacks.

Courtesy of New Primal

“Consumers snack for a variety of reasons; one of them is that they provide a satisfying eating experience at a relatively low cost,” he says. “That, combined with meat sticks’ strong value proposition, opens up new doors for us. In a cost-sensitive consumer environment, 25% of consumers rank price as their No. 1 purchase motivator.”

Charlie Kuoni, senior brand manager for Old Wisconsin and its Yumbo super-sized stick lineup, says, “What’s driving success is a return to the fundamentals: taste remains the priority, and brands that pair it with clear benefits and strong digital discovery are pulling ahead.”

Producers in the meat snack category continue to innovate in order to reach a greater number of consumers. Flannery notes that Greenridge (known for its refrigerated meat snacks) recently entered new territory.

“After over a year of research and development, we launched our first-ever shelf-stable beef snack sticks, expanding Greenridge into the fast-growing protein snacking category across c-store, grocery, and wholesale channels,” she says. “Made with grass-fed beef, the sticks stand out for their clean-label formulation, featuring lower sodium than many comparable products, zero sugar and minimal processing. The launch also introduced a refreshed brand identity and multiple merchandising formats to meet the needs of different retail environments.”

Courtesy of New Primal

Dufour says growth has been fueled by consumers’ constant craving for protein-rich snacks, and Mighty Spark seeks to deliver what consumers are looking for regarding health interests, convenience, and other notes.

“Chicken is outpacing growth of other proteins; we’ve set the foundation and more brands are entering chicken to capitalize on that growth,” she notes. “This past year we launched new formats and flavors: a Maple chicken snack stick, delivering the beloved sweet and savory combo; Minis, offering smaller sizes (.05-oz) of our chicken sticks in 12-count packs; and bigger pack sizes (8-count bags) of our 1-oz sticks for those looking to stock up.”

Courtesy of New Primal

Burke says supply chain issues have been causing headaches for meat snack producers in recent months.

“Raw material availability, commodity volatility, production capacity, packaging lead times, and retailer demand planning all require constant attention,” he notes. “Turkey has had its own set of challenges given broader market volatility and supply constraints. Beef is at an all-time high price. For brands in high-growth mode, one of the hardest things is scaling responsibly. You have to balance demand creation with operational discipline. Growing too fast without the right supply chain, quality systems, and manufacturing partners can create real issues.”

Burke adds, “The brands that win in this category will be the ones that can innovate but also execute. Retailers need to know you can keep product on shelf, deliver consistent quality, and support growth across channels.”

Kuoni says Yumbo is a relatively young brand that has innovated in several ways.

“This year, we launched our first flavor extension, Ginger Teriyaki—teriyaki consistently ranks as a top three flavor, but we wanted to offer an elevated experience and found a delicious balance with the addition of ginger,” he relates. “Our multipacks were also introduced to retailers like Walmart, where we know there is incredible demand for lunchbox-friendly snacks that are good for you and don’t hurt the wallet.”

Looking forward

Brown predicts that the winning streak meat snacks have been on in recent years is likely to continue in the immediate future.

“We’re very optimistic about the year ahead,” he declares. “As we mentioned before, meat snacks and meat sticks in particular are seeing positive sales momentum and offer a lot of the contemporary attributes that consumers are seeking.”

Flannery anticipates BFY brands like Greenridge will see increased demand, thanks to health-conscious snackers. Still, she says, the road ahead will not be free of obstacles.

Courtesy of New Primal

“Price increases will continue to challenge supply chains in terms of the cost of protein and fuel,” she predicts. “However, looking ahead, one of the biggest opportunities (and challenges) for retailers will be adapting quickly to evolving consumer tastes. This will require thoughtful merchandising, flexible store layouts and a willingness to rethink category space allocation, including packaging formats, as shopping patterns continue to evolve.”

Kuori says, “With uncertain economic conditions impacting purchase behavior, price and flavor will be key in 2027. It is already difficult for consumers to justify an $18+ price point for a multipack bag, and they are savvy enough to recognize shrinkflation when they see it, so finding ways to deliver meaningful value while keeping products affordable will remain a top priority.”

Courtesy of New Primal

Burke advises producers can keep the growth of the category rolling on by delivering products that reach both traditional meat-stick consumers and those new to the category.

“We believe there is still a lot of room to expand the category by creating products that feel less like traditional meat snacks and more like everyday protein solutions,” he says. “Our innovation pipeline is focused on bringing new consumers into the category rather than simply creating another version of what already exists.”

Weiner says that while Vermont offers sticks made with beef, pork, and poultry, it’s the bird-based items that hold notable potential.

“The category has not fully caught up to consumer demand for turkey and chicken options, and that creates whitespace,” she says. “If 75% of poultry snack shoppers say they can’t easily find the poultry options they want, that is not a niche issue, it’s a category opportunity. At Vermont Smoke & Cure, we feel well positioned because we have already built a leading turkey platform with Turkey Pepperoni, Oven Roasted Turkey, and Hot & Spicy Turkey. We see those products as a way to meet demand for leaner protein variety without asking consumers to sacrifice flavor.”

Brown says Conagra plans to continue working to delivering Slim Jim products that deliver what consumers are on the hunt for. This includes expanding its Buffalo Wild Wings collection of meat sticks, which combine leaner chicken meat with on-trend spicy flavors, and a new lineup that pairs sticks with flavorful cheese.

“At home, we see 9 million charcuterie searches in the last year with more than 3 million recipe clicks—away from home, meat, and cheese snack kits index at 147, significantly overperforming vs. average eating occasions,” he notes. “This shows that consumers are choosing meat and cheese when they need something portable, filling, and familiar. Slim Jim is leaning into that proven pairing with the new Cheese Mode platform—real cheese with unreal flavor in a convenient, portable protein snack format. 

Brown adds that each 1.94-oz. Cheese Mode stick (made with real cheddar inside the meat) will feature 10 g of protein per stick. The sticks will launch in two flavors: Cheddar and Cheddar Jalapeno.

Dufour says she believes current consumer health interests in macros like protein and fiber will endure but also evolve.

“A lot of people will focus on holistic health and balance, and not sacrificing taste,” she states. “We’ve always focused exclusively on chicken in our snack sticks, and we expect chicken will continue to outpace category growth. It’s a leaner protein with broad appeal (most consumed protein in the US), and when done well, it can be shockingly flavorful, alongside its convenience and health benefits.”

Flannery says Greenridge plans to build upon the positive consumer response to its products in several ways.

“We're investing in new flavor development, packaging formats, and merchandising solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of both retailers and consumers,” she says. “We also see significant opportunities to expand distribution and further grow our presence within the protein snacking category as demand for clean-label, convenient snacks continues to rise.”