The US snacking market reached nearly $200 billion in annual retail sales in 2026, and protein-forward categories, which make up nearly 10% of the food segment, are largely driven by dried meat snacks, according to Circana.
Meat sticks represent $5.7 billion in annual sales, and with a compound annual growth rate of 9.5%, the category is expanding more than three times faster than the overall snacking universe at 3.1%, according to Circana data in food giant Conagra’s annual Future of Snacking report.
The growth rate of meat snack sales is even greater online at 41%, as of April 2026, according to Conagra and Circana.
“Naturally protein-forward and highly portable, meat snacks increasingly serve as convenient sources of sustained satiety throughout the day,” Conagra said. “But the category is continuously evolving to offer consumers the additional benefits they need to fuel their day besides protein. Emerging meat snacks feature functional ingredients like bone broth and collagen, illustrating how snacks are building upon protein rather than replacing it.”
Meat snack releases are frequent in the industry these days. Here are a few that are finding new ways to further innovate in the rapidly expanding market.
General Mills goes Epic
General Mills launched its Epic brand meat sticks on Oct. 21, noting that protein-rich foods as a category are up nearly 12% year over year.
The lineup comes in four varieties: Original Beef, Wagyu Beef, Rotisserie Chicken and Hot Honey Chicken. General Mills notes that the sticks are made from grass-fed beef and free-range chicken and are free of gluten, dairy, antibiotics and added hormones.
“We knew Epic had to do what we’ve always done and bring something different to the snack aisle,” said Scott Baldwin, vice president and business unit director of bars at General Mills. “From the rich taste of Wagyu Beef to the sweet-and-savory combination of Hot Honey Chicken, we wanted to bring some of the delicious, on-trend flavors people already love to a convenient meat-stick format made for wherever your day takes you.”
The launch is exclusive to Amazon and Sprouts Farmers Market, and will expand to retailers nationwide in 2027.
Oven-roasted chicken from Archer
Archer Meat Snacks continue to give longtime food companies a run for their money with a portfolio expansion in June that introduced its first chicken stick with the Oven-Roasted Chicken Mini Stick.
The company also launched its Sweet BBQ Beef Mini Sticks and 8-count Mini Stick pack.
“Archer was built on a simple idea: real ingredients, real protein, nothing you can’t pronounce. The fact that we’re now in more than 30,000 doors – and growing more than three times the category – tells us consumers have been waiting for this,” said Andrew Thomas, Archer’s senior vice president of marketing. “The chicken launch and 8-count expansion are about meeting them wherever they shop and making it easy to choose better protein snacks.”
The sticks are gluten-free certified and contain no fillers or artificial ingredients, the company said. They have zero sugar and 4 to 5 grams of protein per serving.
Archer boasts its strength in the meat stick category with dollar sales up 54.9% over the past year, as of June.
Conagra continues to innovate
Conagra is flooding the category with new varieties, which were released in early October at the 2026 NACS Show in Las Vegas.
That includes Slim Jim Cheese Mode sticks, which come in Cheddar and Cheddar & Jalapeño flavors, Slim Jim Sriracha and Slim Jim’s collaboration sticks with Buffalo Wild Wings. The sticks contain 10 grams of protein.
“The NACS Show is a great opportunity to connect with customers and showcase the breadth of the Conagra snack portfolio,” said Jill Dexter, president, Grocery and Snacks for Conagra Brands. “From meat snacks and seeds to salty snacks, we’re excited to highlight the top brands, flavor innovation, and consumer favorites that drive our business.”
Conagra is also the owner of Fatty brand meat sticks – made with grass-fed beef and pork and are free of antibiotics – Duke’s, maker of Duke’s Smoked Sausage, and Penrose, maker of pickled sausage snacks Big Mama and Tijuana Mama.
