Designer Jerky

December 19, 2001 in Food Companies, Manufacturing and Trends

Designer Jerky

Has snacking gone to the dogs? When you think of it as dried deceased animal it certainly doesn't appeal. Nor does it look very appealing either. But looks aren't everything. Jerky is a much-in-demand food, especially this time of year, when hunters are most active. But hunters aren't the only ones chowing down on the leathery food. Gourmet catalogs are selling it, as are some specialty shops. Jerky can be made from elk, buffalo, salmon, ostrich and pheasant, to name a few varieties. Flavors range from teriyaki to mesquite. Gourmet jerky isn't cheap though. Cabela's, the outdoor catalog retailer, sells an 11.6-ounce sampler pack of wild-game jerky for $20 USD. Eight ounces of salmon is $35. However, the price hasn't given consumers pause. The Snack Food Association reports that retail sales of jerky and beef sticks grew almost 29 percent in 1999 and 32 percent in 2000. That translates into sales of $1.74 billion, in 2000. "It's the fastest-growing snack-food category," said Ann Wilkes, a spokeswoman for the association. By comparison, pork rinds are the second-fastest-growing category at 21 percent, followed by pumpkin and sunflower seeds at 16 percent. Some consumers are drawn to jerky because it's low in fat and stores easily. Others eat it because they're on a high-protein diet, association surveys show.

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