Beef Jerky Market

Beef Jerky Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

Meat products are widely demanded due to being an excellent source of nutrients. As a result, meat snacking is increasing recently. North American regions are likely to remain dominant markets for meat snacks in the forecast period as well.

Busy millennials are most likely to stay consumers of beef jerky as they prefer on-the-go food options. It is used as a snack food that is available in supermarkets around the world. The demand in the market is high and many manufacturing companies produce it. But the production is concentrated only in specific regions of the world. But the U.S. market has the highest consumption of beef. The growth in the retail sales of jerky was observed to be higher than in the past years in the United States last year and it has been increasing.

Lean meat with very little fat and a high protein content is beef jerky. In order to make it, the fat is removed from the meat, which is then chopped into strips and dried. In order to avoid the need for preservatives, the drying process is mostly carried out by adding salt, and the moisture level sold commercially should be very low. The majority of manufacturing companies flavor it while it is drying and sell it in the market in tastes like Teriyaki, Sweet BBQ, and Sesame.

What are the benefits of beef jerky that increase demand?

Today millennials are more conscious about what they eat and how they eat. Most of these youth are followers of certain food tribes such as paleo, keto, and whole 30. Beef fit in all these forms of diets due to its high protein content and lower carbs.

Beef is high in protein and low in carbohydrates which makes it a healthier nutritional composition. It’s rich in terms of minerals such as iron and zinc which are significant for immune and energy level support.

The long shelf life makes jerky beef a great food option to carry while traveling where one would have limited access to fresh food and need a protein kick. It’s a high amount of zinc, B12, Phosphorus, and minerals.

The addition of preservatives is also not required as the whole moisture content is supposed to be kept to 2% only according to government guidelines. This reduces the scope for getting spoilt by microbial contamination even without preservatives. Also, the salt added to it is known to avoid bacterial contamination and acts as a preservative. This is thus termed a healthy snack and is thus in high demand.

The inclusion of beef into diets is majorly recommended in people who are at risk of iron deficiency. The jerky products help in the creation of hemoglobin whereas not consuming iron could result in deficiency anemia.

What are the downsides that hinder market growth?

Even though jerky makes a great snack it’s crucial to consume it in a moderate amount. The high sodium content in it may harmful in several aspects such as increased blood pressure, stroke rise, and declining heart health. As a result, this makes it unsuitable for diets where sodium intake is restricted. The high processing involved in the jerky causes higher risks of cancers, especially gastrointestinal ones.

Furthermore, many food research studies found that dried and cured meat may be contaminated due to toxic composition which may result in cancer. In 2018, a study done by John Hopkins Medicine revealed the association between the consumption of processed food and products like Jerky, salami, and hot dogs causing hyperactivity, euphoria, and insomnia. These health concerns related to the consumption of products are likely to hinder the growth of this market.

What are opportunities manufacturers should look for in this industry?

As health awareness is rapidly growing among the masses meat snacking is expected to remain in trend for longer. Many manufacturers can explore beef dishes innovation as low fat and nutritionally high market value. Moreover, vendors should also focus on the clean-label ingredient demand that is likely to increase organic food share in the forecast period. The presence of no preservatives in the snack also has a high market value. Health-conscious people are looking for all these on the label. Such products will be high in demand.

Pre-packaged food is preferred by people due to rising changes in lifestyle and fast-paced routines. In packaged food its necessary to have innovative, attractive, and informative packaging that will attract consumers and improve shelf life of products. Some companies are already exploring these opportunities such as- Mariani Foods Pty. is an Australian company that manufactures. It has acquired Bare Earth, a UK dried meat products company to expand its company and sales across Europe.

Key players

Some of the leading players of the global beef jerky market are

• Golden Island Jerky Co.
• Greenport Jerky Company
• Weavers Meat Inc.
• Cedar Creek Beef Jerky LLC
• Country Archer Jerky Co.
• Kershenstine Beef Jerky Inc.
• Werner Gourmet Meat Snacks, Inc.
• Link Snacks Inc.
• Charqui Jerky Co.
• Conagra Brands Inc.
• The Classic Jerky Company (Pemmican Beef Jerky)
• Mariani Foods Pty.

Recent Developments

• Feb 2021- Werner Gourmet announced the new look for all their meat snacks range. This rebranding strategy is opted for by the brand after product-specific research and following trends in the packaged food industry.
• August 2020- Country Archer Jerky a leading meat snack brand announced the launch of ‘zero Sugar Beef Jerky’ which is made with 100% finished beef and is grass-fed. This product is free from preservatives, MSG, and nitrates.

Regional Outlook

The global market is expected to be dominated by North American countries like Mexico and Canada. The Canadian market has seen growth in recent years as products were only available at gas stations where most of the products do not come under clean and green labels. Moreover, there is a visible rise in grocery and retail store sales in these countries are expected to emerge as key distribution segments in jerky product sales in the forecast period.

The European markets are anticipated to grow with magnificent CAGR in the forecast period 2023-2033. The UK and Belgium are anticipated countries where manufacturers are likely to find more options.

Segmentation

• By Nature :

  • Natural
  • Organic

• By Flavour :

  • Original
  • Teriyaki
  • Peppered
  • Others (Sweet BBQ, Sriracha etc.)

• By Distribution Channel :

  • Indirect
    • Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
    • Specialty stores
  • Online retailers

• By Regions :

  • North America 
  • Latin America 
  • Western Europe 
  • Eastern Europe 
  • Asia Pacific 
  • Japan
  • Middle East and Africa