Stryve aims to double retail sales in 2020 as biltong gains on traditional jerky
Today, Stryve holds a 75% market share of the biltong retail category and grew more than 500% in retail sales in 2019. This year, the company is gearing up for a brand refresh featuring new packaging and ramped up consumer education marketing efforts.
Biltong shakes up meat snacks category
Until a few years ago, biltong was nearly unheard of in the US, but thanks to a few emerging brands producing the air-dried beef snack with zero sugar and no preservatives or artificial ingredients, biltong is becoming more popular and is challenging the traditional meat snacks category.
The meat snack category in the US is on the rise, growing more than 9% in the last year, according to Mordor Intelligence. At the same time, consumers are moving to less-processed, low-sugar, and no-preservative options, choosing new entrants such as beef biltong products produced by Stryve.
Stryve was launched in 2017 aiming to reinvigorate the meat snacks category with a cleaner protein by introducing Americans to biltong, a traditional South African snack of thinly-sliced beef that's been air dried to retain as much protein and flavor as possible without adding sugar or preservatives. Stryve sources beef from the US and produces the biltong in its own manufacturing plant in Medill, Okla.
Stryve biltong production process: Season, dry, slice
1. High-quality top round slabs are washed with vinegar and dry rubbed with spices.
2. Seasoned beef is air-dried for up to two weeks at room temperature.
3. Slabs are sliced into ultra-thin, always tender pieces.
New co-CEO in place to lead 2020 growth
Jaxie Alt, who joined Stryve in March 2019 as chief marketing officer after spending 17 years with Keurig Dr Pepper, will become co-CEO of the company, effective immediately. Since joining Stryve, Alt helped the healthy snacking company double annual revenue and establish itself as the top-selling biltong brand in the U.S at traditional retail and online. As co-CEO, Alt will continue to oversee nationwide marketing efforts as Stryve expands its footprint, along with leading sales and human resources at the company.
In addition to Alt's promotion, the company recently welcomed three executives to its leadership team: chief operating officer, Alex Hawkins; chief financial officer, Billie Winkle; and chief sales officer, Bruce Boettner, who most recently served as vice president of sales at startup Humm Kombucha and worked 19 years with Kellogg's as the sales lead for the Kashi brand.
"I'm thrilled about the team we've assembled to help Stryve grow," said Alt. "As consumer interest in healthy eating continues, and awareness and understanding of biltong expands, I believe we now have the leadership team in place to reach our goal to help America snack better."
As Alt previously told this publication, "We've got a job to do." And that involves getting biltong into the hands of more consumers driving trial and exposure to the Stryve brand.
"We’re really starting to see growth in every class of trade. That shows us the consumer demand is really there," Alt said.
Stryve products are currently sold on Stryve.com, on Amazon, and in more than 18,000 retail stores including Walmart, CVS, 7-11, Central Market, Sprouts, Market Street, and Meijer.
