Jack Link's

Last updated
Link Snacks, Inc.
Industry Food manufacturing
Founded Minong, Wisconsin, United States
(1986;38 years ago (1986))
FounderJohn 'Jack' Link
HeadquartersMinong, Wisconsin, United States of America [1]
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Jack Link
  • Troy Link
Products
Website

Link Snacks, Inc., better known as Jack Link's Protein Snacks, or simply Jack Link's, is an American [2] snack company best known as the producer and marketer of the eponymous brand of beef jerky. It was founded by John 'Jack' Link in 1986, [3] using his great-grandfather's recipes. [4] They are known for their "Messin' with Sasquatch" ads. [5]

Contents

In addition to their original facility in Minong, Wisconsin, the company also has facilities across the Midwest including in New Glarus, Wisconsin; Alpena, South Dakota; Mankato, Minnesota; Laurens, Iowa; and Underwood, Iowa; and its marketing office in Minneapolis. [6] [7]

On April 1, 2014, Jack Link's bought Unilever's meat snack division [8] in an attempt to expand its consumer base into Europe. The purchase includes the BiFi brand, sold across Europe and Peperami, which retails in the UK and Ireland; and the manufacturing unit in Ansbach, Germany.

In addition to traditional beef jerky, the company also manufactures bacon jerky, made with salt-and-sugar cured pork meat.

In 2019 Jack Links acquired the Golden Island brand from Tyson Foods. [9]

Advertising

In 2013, they signed a sponsorship deal with the Seattle Mariners. [10] In April 2015 Jack Link's Beef Jerky changed its logo "to better represent the brand’s 'Feed Your Wild Side' positioning and overall appeal." [11] This new logo was designed by Davis Design of Mississauga, Ontario. [1] In 2017, Jack Link's extended its "Messin' with Sasquatch" ad campaign to feature NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns. [12] The company also employs a nutritionist, Christina Meyer-Jax, to explain the dietary value of protein as part of their marketing. [13]

Controversy

In December 2021, six European supermarket chains, including two owned by the Dutch firm Ahold Delhaize and a Carrefour subsidiary, said they would stop selling some or all beef products from Brazil. [14] The companies' decision was made due to suspected ties with the clearing of segments of the Amazon rainforest for local cattle farming. The world's largest meatpacker JBS and Jack Link's each source cattle from Brazil. [15]

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References

  1. 1 2 "You don't Know Jack". Underconsideration.com. Archived from the original on 15 September 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  2. "About Us – Jack Link's". Archived from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
  3. Hajewski, Doris (April 1, 2007). "Battle over beef jerky". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel . Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  4. "About Us | Jack Link's". Jacklinks.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-12. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
  5. "Snack time! When stomachs growl, these delight". Arkansas Online. 2021-01-14. Archived from the original on 2021-06-26. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  6. "JACK LINK'S® GIVES BACK TO THE UNDERWOOD, IOWA COMMUNITY" (Press release). Link Snacks, Inc. August 27, 2014. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  7. Hughlett, Mike (October 24, 2015). "Jack Link's enjoys ride as industry leader while keeping its family roots". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  8. "Peperami gobbled up by US meat snacks firm Jack Link's". Theguardian.com. 21 February 2014. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  9. Contributor (2020-01-10). "Tyson Foods sells Golden Island jerky business to Jack Link's". FoodBev Media. Archived from the original on 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2020-09-14.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  10. Schuyler, David (April 2, 2013). "Jack Link's inks sponsorship of Seattle Mariners". Milwaukee Business Journal . Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  11. "Jack Link's rolls out new logo, package, cleaner label". Meatpoultry.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  12. "Jack Link's Beef Jerky TV Commercial, 'SasquatchWorkout: Kat's Calves'". Ispot.tv. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  13. "Nutrition". Jacklinks.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-16. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
  14. "European supermarkets stop selling Brazil beef over deforestation links". Reuters. 2021-12-15. Archived from the original on 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  15. "JBS in Joint Venture with Jack Link's Beef Jerky". The Cattle Site. Archived from the original on 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2021-12-16.