Article: The meat of the matter: modern meat snacks go beyond basic beef jerky to include sticks, nuggets and strips in single-serve packs and unique flavors.(2009 State of the Industry: Meat Snacks)

Once upon a time, beef jerky was a snack enjoyed by laborers--and Renaissance Faire aficionados--in need of quick bursts of protein. It was dry and chewy, and it came in all of one or two varieties.

Today, these tried-and-true originals still exist, but what's driving the jerky category is innovations in flavor, texture and even species. The growth of other formats--sticks, nuggets, strips and pork rinds, for example--also contribute to the success of dried meat snacks as a whole, helping to make it a $312.3 million industry, according to Information Resources, Inc. (latest 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2008).

The demographic profile of the meat snacks ...

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