Category Check: Meat snacks
Meat snacks and c-stores make a happy pairing, The uniting of two grab-and-go entities that can be profitable for c-store owners.
Ever since COVID, Canadians have turned into a nation of grazers and snackers. Our preference now is shifting to eating on the go. Mondelēz International has been tracking snacking habits since 2019 in its State of Snacking Global Report. The 2024 edition shows 91% of global consumers snack at least once a day and 76% feeling that snacking is a much-needed pick-me-up throughout the day.
Protein boost
Add to the mix the exploding interest in protein snacks, which are outpacing the overall snacking category by three times in growth, according to research from Chomps examining the trend in U.S. markets. In Canada, Nourish Food Marketing’s 2025 Trend Report found 71% of consumers want to eat more protein. That’s a whopping increase of 112% since 2015 and a healthy 20% since 2020.
The protein craze is being fuelled by various factors—convenience, satiety, muscle support for fitness enthusiasts and users of GLP-1 weight-loss medications, as well as a desire for the health benefits associated with functional foods.
The meat snacks category is worth in excess of $135 million with annual growth estimated at around 5%. It’s a dynamic market with constant innovation and new brands entering the space to keep c-store consumers engaged.
Ahead of the curve
Big Chief Meat Snacks was well ahead of the current meat-snack trend, launching beef jerky in 1971. The product was so successful the Klein family sold their Calgary delis to focus on its jerky under the name Alberta Fancy Sausage. In 2004, it became Big Chief Meat Snacks.
Chuck Arcand, national sales director, says its jerky sells well because it fits today’s active lifestyles. “When people are travelling and moving place to place, they often require energy and that’s where protein becomes so important,” he says. “It’s a better filler than regular carbs.”
Recently, the company listened to consumers and in May introduced some of its strongest-selling SKUs in a 20-gram stick format, including Original, Jalapeno and Sweet and Spicy.
Marketing strategies
Being made with 100% Canadian beef is an important selling point for Big Chief. The company has worked to showcase that fact since last June, well before tariff wars struck. The company has rolled out countertop displays featuring the maple leaf and is producing shelf danglers to call attention to its Canadian origins.
Bundling is also a wise strategy. Placement near energy drinks is a great fit, Arcand says. And giving Big Chief’s top bestsellers (Teriyaki and Original flavours) space on an endcap, in-line or on front counter inspires impulse buying. New additions include a Jamaican-style jerk and mini-beef sticks in a bag, ideal for sharing.
Big Chief’s value gives it an advantage in a category that is price sensitive. Its products sell between 50 cents and a dollar less than some competitors. Arcand also flags the growing popularity of its meat snacks among women.
Snacking on the go
Jack Link's continues to sell well in c-stores, according to Curtis Davison, the company’s vice-president, general manager, Canada. “Meat snacks are outperforming the snack category as a whole,” he points out. “People are definitely very conscious of what’s in their snacks, so we’ve been a good choice for in between meals as people are snacking more and eating main meals less.”
He feels consumers are looking for high quality and taste in meat snacks, making Jack Link's a solid choice. Its resealable packages also make it a good option for consumers on the go.
Next up, Jack Link's will continue to expand its protein roster following the successful launch of chicken-, turkey- and pork-based products to suit varied customer preferences. Innovative formats are also coming, like individually wrapped sticks in a bag. Watch for zero-sugar versions of sticks in both beef and turkey, as well as more fun jerky flavours. In the past, the company has offered Dr. Pepper jerky, Buffalo chicken ranch and jalapeno mango. For 2025, watch for Frank’s Red Hot stick and Jack Link's Duos, two flavours in a bag.
To support sales, the company offers corrugated display shippers that can be opened and displayed easily. Small displays placed in high-impulse purchase zones are key since meat snacks are impulse buys. Davison has seen success at Ontario c-stores that place Jack Link's near alcohol products.
Flavour innovations
The Great Canadian Meat Company began in 1992 with a single product—its Authentic Dry Pepperoni. Over the years, the Whitby, Ont. company has grown its lineup to include Pepperoni Meat Sticks, Beef Jerky, Beef Jerky Strips and Canada’s largest range of shelf-stable salami flavours. Everything is hardwood-smoked and made with Canadian ingredients, including pork from Quebec and Manitoba, and beef from Western Canada.
CEO Pete Vanslyke says their products target working guys who want savoury protein snacks that will satisfy them throughout the day. He’s also seeing many younger consumers discovering the category. He calls them “flavour surfers,” driven to trial by offerings that pique their interest as more consumers are riding the wave of non-sugary snacks. “This demographic grazes their way through the day and doesn’t sit down for three meals like my generation did,” he says.
All consumers are looking for good value in their meat snacks—something that prompted the company to create Great Canadian Meat Mini Pepperoni (Mild, Hot, Smokey Bacon and Honey Garlic). In February, Great Canadian Meat launched Mega-sized bags of their Mini Pepperoni (Mild and Hot) by creating larger sizes of their Mini Pepperoni SKU, the number one velocity item in the meat snacks category in Eastern Canada.
The company is also turning up the heat by capitalizing on the hot sauce trend. “It continues to grow and explode as consumers are looking for new experiences,” explains Vanslyke. “Feedback from our customers showed that meat snacks labelled ‘hot’ were not hot at all.” Based on that feedback, they created Fire X-Hot Pepperoni Sticks, which are twice as hot as anything the company has done before. “We brought a whole new meaning to the idea of meat sweats,” he laughs.
Building baskets
To support sales, Great Canadian Meat Company has dedicated direct-store-delivery teams that can help with merchandising, ensuring their racks and planograms are fully stocked with fresh product. “There are many things commanding the attention of owner-operators, so being able to come in to support them is really important.”
Vanslyke says that c-stores can boost meat snack sales by capitalizing on the traffic building that beer offers through smartly placed displays on counters. “Meat snacks are a really great fit to boost their revenue and margin on the basket since they are a great full margin opportunity to take advantage of. And with all the innovation coming into the category, it’s driving a ton of excitement.”
Originally published in the May/June 2025 issue of Convenience Store News Canada
