Vermont Smoke & Cure, an artisanal smokehouse crafting premium meat snacks since 1962, is launching two new meat sticks created in partnership with Kraft Heinz Licensing and its A.1. and Lea & Perrins brands. These launches mark the first-ever meat sticks made in collaboration with A.1. and Lea & Perrins, translating steakhouse flavors into an on-the-go format.

Crafted with beef, hand-trimmed and slow-cooked in Vermont Smoke & Cure's on-site Vermont smokehouse, these new meat sticks emulate a steakhouse bite in a grab-and-go format.

"Consumers are increasingly craving bold, familiar flavors in new convenient formats," said Rachel Jones, Brand Manager for A.1. and Lea & Perrins. "By partnering with Vermont Smoke & Cure, we're bringing the iconic taste of A.1. and Lea & Perrins to a high-quality, on-the-go meat snack, delivering unmistakable steakhouse flavor in a format built for the everyday."

The two new SKUs launching are:

• A.1. Original Sauce Smoked Beef Stick: The classic A.1. steak sauce flavor infused into Vermont Smoke & Cure's slow-smoked premium beef stick. Made with beef, antibiotic and hormone free, with no artificial preservatives or flavors. 
• Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Smoked Beef Stick: The character of the world's original Worcestershire sauce meets Vermont Smoke & Cure's artisanal hardwood-smoking process. Made with beef, antibiotic and hormone free, with no artificial preservatives or flavors. 

"Vermont Smoke & Cure is thrilled to partner with two leaders in bold, iconic flavor with A.1. and Lea & Perrins defining the steakhouse experience for over a century," said Michael Shafer, commercial business lead at Vermont Smoke & Cure. "This collaboration lets us bring that unmistakable character to a whole new on-the-go snacking occasion, and we think meat lovers and protein seekers everywhere are going to love where we've taken it."

Each stick is hand-crafted in small batches, slow-cooked for more than 18 hours, and smoked with real hardwood chips in the brand's Vermont smokehouse—an uncompromising process that sets it apart in a crowded category. The result is a truly portable steakhouse experience, pairing Vermont Smoke & Cure's small-batch craftsmanship with the iconic, bold A.1. and Lea & Perrins flavors consumers already know and love.

The A.1. and Lea & Perrins Vermont Smoke & Cure Meat Sticks begin rolling out in July 2026 at Kroger stores nationwide, with additional retailers to come later in the year.

Source: Vermont Smoke & Cure