Jack Link’s is expanding barbecue-inspired protein snacks through a collaboration with Meat Church BBQ, translating two of the pitmaster brand’s popular seasonings into limited-edition jerky. The collection includes Holy Cow Beef Jerky, inspired by a Texas-style BBQ rub, and Honey Hog Pork Jerky, which combines smoky, savory flavors with sweet honey notes. Available at select Walmart stores across 48 states, the products bring recognizable barbecue flavors into convenient, protein-focused snack formats.
For Jack Link’s, partnering with an established barbecue brand provides a way to introduce distinctive flavors while tapping into Meat Church’s community of backyard grillers and pitmasters. Meat Church, meanwhile, can extend its brand beyond seasonings, recipes and classes into packaged snacks. The limited-time format creates urgency and gives both companies an opportunity to test consumer interest in barbecue-inspired flavor crossovers while gaining national retail exposure through Walmart.
Image Credit: Link Snacks, Inc.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Pitmaster-branded Snacks
- Established barbecue personalities and seasoning brands are becoming flavor platforms for packaged protein snacks that blend culinary credibility with mass-market convenience.
- Limited-edition Flavor Crossovers
- Temporary collaborations between food brands create scarcity-driven trial moments while allowing companies to test niche flavor concepts at national retail scale.
- Regional Barbecue Portability
- Texas-style, smoky-sweet, and other regional barbecue profiles are moving into shelf-stable snacks, giving consumers familiar cookout flavors in convenient everyday formats.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Protein Snacks
- Jerky and meat snack producers are differentiating through chef-led flavor partnerships that elevate functional protein products with premium taste associations.
- Barbecue Seasonings
- Rub and sauce brands are expanding beyond pantry staples into ready-to-eat formats, turning flavor equity and enthusiast communities into broader packaged food opportunities.
- Mass Retail
- Large retailers are serving as launch pads for collaborative limited-time food products that combine national reach with fast consumer feedback on emerging snack preferences.
