Demand for animal-based protein is surging, as evidenced by the numerous meat snack companies exhibiting at the Natural Products Expo West event this month and recent data, with brands leaning into spicy and sweet flavors and rebranding to capture consumer attention.
Meat snacks account for 19% of US retail snack sales, though consumers seek protein in 36% of their snacking occasions, according to a survey of 2,500 US consumers from Chomps. Roughly a third (34%) of Gen Z and millennials are considered protein snack consumers, compared to 29% in 2019, according to Numerator data for the 52 weeks ending Oct. 27.
Additionally, 13% of snacking product innovation focused on protein offerings since 2017, according to USDA FoodData cited in the Chomps report.
Chomps sweetens portfolio with smoky barbecue
Protein is a macro-nutrient of interest for everyday consumers, having initially gained popularity among health- and wellness-minded communities, explained Rachel Winnall, senior brand director at Chomps.
Chomps showcased its smoky barbecue-flavored meat stick at Expo West, which is rolling out to retail locations after performing “extremely well” on e-commerce, Winnall noted. The barbecue meat stick contains zero sugar and 10 grams and 4 grams of protein for the full-size and mini format, respectively.
Retail expansion is driving Chomps' growth, which even launched into private label grocer Trader Joe’s in 2016. However, direct-to-consumer and e-commerce channels continue to be a testing ground for new products, Winnall explained.
“We still have a really strong consumer base that subscribes and buys Chomps online, and it’s a great way for us also to test and learn. So, we can launch something really quickly and see the consumer response. We have really loyal consumers who we sometimes send something new, something early or a survey. So, we definitely continue to foster our DTC brand,” she elaborated.
“Protein has been a very relevant macro-nutrient now for the last decade, starting with what we experienced in the bar category.”
Eugene Kang, founder and CEO of Archer
Archer rebrands with $300 million revenue goal in mind
Ahead of Expo West, Country Archer Provisions rebranded its company name to Archer and rolled out a revamped logo and color scheme designed to drive brand awareness following the brand’s retail success, explained brand Founder and CEO Eugene Kang.
In 2024, Archer sales increased 90% year-over-year, and its meat sticks grew approximately 180%, Kang noted.
“We have just experienced incredible growth. And going into this year we are going to continue to lean in on these macro trends that we think are in our favor, whether it be health and wellness focus, protein snacks, the portability factor of our products, etc. We are poised to surpass roughly $300 million in revenue this year,” Kang elaborated.
Spins: Meat snacks by the numbers
The overall shelf-stable meat snacks market accounted for $2.64 billion in sales, growing 10.3% in dollars and 2% in units, for the year ending Jan. 26. Dollar sales of jerky products declined slightly by 0.6% but grew in units by 1.2% for the same period. Plant-based meat snacks continue their precipitous decline, dropping 52.5% in units and 56.1% in dollars for the same time period.
Consumer demand for premium meat snacks – including those that are antibiotic-free, natural and grass-fed – are contributing to the category’s growth as well, Kang noted.
“Protein has been a very relevant macronutrient for the last decade, starting with what we experienced in the bar category,” Kang said. “Meat-based protein is definitely making a renaissance comeback here. But part of it is the premium protein meat space.”
Allergen-free and animal welfare claims on the rise
Animal welfare and allergen-, hormone- and antibiotic-free claims were among the other callouts for meat snack brands highlighted at Expo West.
Chicago-based Think Jerky sampled its range of chef-inspired jerkies, including sweet chipotle, sesame teriyaki, sriracha honey and classic flavors, and meat sticks that launched two years ago. The meat snacks are 100% grass-fed beef and contain no hormones, antibiotics or nitrites.
“It is important to honor the animal and not consume meat, if possible, that has added hormones and antibiotics - that was not the avenue we wanted to go down. But we always work with smaller farms that had integrity on animal welfare,” said Ricky Hirsch, founder and CEO of Think Jerky.
Plant-based manufacturer Before the Butcher demonstrated that there is still an appetite for plant-based convenient and flavorful options with its latest pepperoni-style meat stick. The spicy and bold-flavored meat stick contains 4 grams of protein from sunflower protein and is soy- and gluten-free and non-GMO.
Other brands, like Lorissa’s Kitchen, are leaning into allergen-free claims, showcasing its range of meat sticks and proclaiming “food allergies suck” in booth marketing. At last year’s Expo West, Lorissa’s Kitchen revamped its branding and positioning, embracing a bolder yellow and blue color scheme over its simply stated packaging.
