At one point, the entire meat snack section of a convenience store might have consisted of a brand or two of jerky or meat sticks. Thanks to innovations in product flavor and quality, the meat snack is one of the hottest categories in the meat world, with whole aisles devotes to jerky, snack sticks, meat bars and more. The need for on-the-go protein has given rise to a multitude of opportunities for meat processors and companies.
KRAVE was one of the early brands that took the meat snack category in a premium direction. Founded by Jon Sebastiani, KRAVE gained enough recognition in the sector that it was acquired by Hershey in 2015. Sebastiani and his new business, Sonoma Brands, re-acquired KRAVE in April 2020. He also acquired the Chef’s Cut brand of meat products later in the year. Sonoma Brands is actively looking for disruptive brands in the CPG sector, and the acquisition of a second meat snacks brand creates several advantages.