Hershey acquires meat snacks brand

03-Feb-2015 - Last updated on 02-Feb-2015 at 16:21 GMT

Krave produces unusual jerky flavours such as Basil Citrus Turkey Jerky

Related tags Nutrition

US confectionery giant The Hershey Company has acquired jerky manufacturer Krave Pure Foods Inc, as it makes a move into the "rapidly growing" meat snacks category.

Krave, a leading all-natural gourmet snacks brand, will see its products added to Hershey’s growing portfolio of snack products. Krave jerky was launched in 2009 and its range includes: Black Cherry Barbeque Pork Jerky, Basil Citrus Turkey Jerky and Chilli Lime Beef Jerky.

Michele G Buck, president, North America, The Hershey Company, said: "Krave jerky is a great fit to our portfolio and overall snacks and adjacencies strategy.

"The Krave brand delivers on portable and protein nutrition, while also understanding consumers’ food preferences, including the desire for simple ingredients and transparency, something that is also a part of Hershey’s strategic vision."

Jonathan Sebastiani, chief executive and founder of Krave, added: "An important focus of Krave jerky’s business strategy is to push the boundaries within our category and to stay on top of ever-changing consumer needs. Joining the Hershey family will extend our resources for innovation and expand Krave jerky’s presence in the larger healthy snacking category."

According to a statement by Hershey, premium jerky is the fastest-growing sub-segment of the US meat snacks category, estimated to be worth $2.5bn.