The better-for-you meat snack industry is rapidly growing with new launches from industry giants and startups alike.
Meat sticks, jerky, sausages and more are no longer relegated to convenience store snack aisles but are becoming a go-to choice for consumers looking to load up on protein.
The global meat snack market reached $11.82 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to $21.67 billion by 2035, according to data analytics firm Towards FnB.
“New flavor innovations, marinades, premium meats and clean-label formulations – which include low-sodium and nitrate-free – continue to come out from different manufacturers,” according to Renub Research. “Premium and craft jerky brands are another growth area. For as long as protein-focused snacking remains a worldwide trend, the global jerky meat snacks market is poised to see continued strong growth across the world.
PepsiCo’s Good Warrior
Meat sticks are so central to PepsiCo’s protein strategy, that the company launched its Good Warrior line of meat sticks as the inaugural product line for the new master brand in mid-March.
The food manufacturing giant notes that Good Warrior Beef Sticks are made of grass-fed beef and include 10 grams of protein. The 100-calorie sticks, available in Original and Jalapeño Pepper, are gluten free and contain no artificial colors or flavors, the company noted.
“We created Good Warrior because people deserve protein snacks that don’t feel like a compromise,” said Tina Mahal, marketing senior vice president, PepsiCo Foods US. “Our goal was simple: Make protein snacks people want to eat for busy humans who need something fast.”
The new brand is driven by consumer preference for protein, according to PepsiCo, which noted that 86% of US consumers want to add more protein to their diets.
Messaging targets busy consumers trying to make it through a busy day of meetings, school carpool pickups and work deadlines. “We’re here for the everyday warrior who faces the everyday battles of daily life,” PepsiCo said.
PepsiCo plans to add more categories to the Good Warrior brand later this year.
Jack Link’s keeping it simple
Link Snacks, Inc., is also touting its better-for-you meat snacks with the early March release of its 3 Simple Ingredients Jack Link’s lineup.
The three ingredients include vinegar, salt and grass-fed and finished beef.
“It calls out the thousands of ‘clean’ products cluttering shelves today, where a quick flip to the ingredient panel reveals a list longer than a store receipt,” the company said.
The 2-ounce bags contain a combined 31 grams of protein and come in three varieties: sticks, steaks and air-dried beef slices.
“Building a 3‑ingredient meat snack at scale doesn’t happen by accident. It takes serious infrastructure, discipline and decades of category expertise,” said Troy Link, CEO of Link Snacks. “A lot of brands talk ‘clean,’ but their labels tell a different story. Jack Link’s is uniquely positioned to deliver honest, simple, minimal‑ingredient products to consumers who demand real transparency.”
Mighty Spark brings the chicken
Smaller players like Mighty Spark continue to give major food manufacturers a run for their money with expansion into new markets.
The chicken snack stick company launched its Maple Chicken Snack Stick flavor in February, noting that chicken sticks are growing six times faster than the overall meat snacks market.
This has helped drive Mighty Spark’s expansion into hundreds of Kroger locations, Publix grocery stores and Costco clubs across the US.
“With so many consumers looking for healthy and easy protein options, we saw an opportunity to bring meaningful innovation to meat snacks using chicken,” said Andrew Wagner, chief marketing officer of Mighty Spark. “We built Mighty Spark around the belief that chicken deserved its own space in meat snacks. Today, we’re proud to lead the chicken-only snack stick segment and continue expanding from coast to coast as demand accelerates.”
Chomps’ Premium Chicken Sticks
Chomps is taking a play from the Mighty Spark playbook with the launch of its own lineup of chicken sticks in early March.
The debut chicken lineup, which comes in Original Chicken, Nashville Hot and Savory Breakfast varieties, delivers 12 grams of protein and 80 calories per serving. They also are antibiotic-free and contain zero sugar, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Similar to PepsiCo, Chomps positions the sticks as a quick hit of nutrition for busy consumers.
“We saw a clear gap: America’s most consumed protein wasn’t meaningfully represented in a category we’ve helped grow,” said 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.”
Chomps is hoping to attract consumers with a preference for chicken and lure shoppers who are new to the category.
“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,” said Ali. “We’re proud and excited about what it unlocks for our loyal customers, but also those that haven’t discovered us yet.”
