Snack sticks have opened up many new opportunities for small meat processors.
When the middle of the day rolls around and hunger starts to set in, U.S. consumers have many snack options. Unfortunately, most of them bad for us. One healthy option, and one that's gaining in popularity, is the snack stick – that 1-ounce, convenient, tasty piece of beef that's low in calories but high in protein. Many small meat processors who have started their own snack stick line have quickly found out that there is a strong demand, and those small snacks can lead to big opportunities.
Tyson Wibbenmeyer of Stonie's Sausage Shop, located in Perryville, Mo., said that the company's business has grown tremendously within the last five years, and the addition of a line of snack sticks has helped drive that growth. There was a strong demand for such a shelf-stable product, he says.