Vermont Smoke & Cure launches include a whiskey brand collaboration

The WhistlePig Maple Old Fashioned Meat Stick is inspired by the spirit.

Courtesy of Vermont Smoke & Cure

Vermont Smoke & Cure, a rural smokehouse maker of premium meat products, has launched five new products, including a unique collaboration with WhistlePig Whiskey. The WhistlePig Maple Old Fashioned Meat Stick combines Vermont Smoke & Cure's meat crafting expertise with WhistlePig's whiskey flavors, creating a cocktail-inspired snack experience. The limited-time-only meat stick will be available in stores and online starting September 23, 2024, coinciding with National Snack Stick Day. The WhistlePig Maple Old Fashioned Meat Stick will be available in eight-count, 1-oz pouches and 40-count display shippers, suitable for retail environments.

"Our new product line, especially our partnership with WhistlePig, represents our commitment to innovation in the premium meat snack category," says Michael Schafer, commercial business lead at Vermont Smoke & Cure. "We're particularly excited about our turkey offerings, which address a significant gap in the market."

Meghan Ireland, Chief Blender at WhistlePig Whiskey, adds, "Our partnership with Vermont Smoke & Cure allows us to extend the WhistlePig experience beyond the glass. These meat sticks are the perfect complement to our whiskey and embody the spirit of Vermont's maker culture."

Responding to growing consumer demand for diverse snacking options, Vermont Smoke & Cure has introduced:

Vermont Smoke & Cure Hickory Smoked Premium Beef Sticks: Made with 100% beef, these new sticks come in a snack-sized format, offering busy consumers a delicious and nutritious on-the-go option. It is made with cuts of meat that are hand-trimmed and ground to create the premium smoked beef stick. It is available in 1-oz sticks in a 24-count carton and a six-count pouch.
Oven Roasted, Seasoned Turkey Sticks Carton & Pouch: Featuring aromatic seasonings to deliver a homestyle flavor in every bite, this new poultry stick is finished with hickory smoke to drive home on flavor. It is available in 1-oz sticks in a 24-count carton and a six-count pouch.
Hickory Smoked Hot & Spicy Turkey Sticks Carton & Pouch: This turkey stick starts off with a smoky, American Southwestern-meets-“Dad’s spicy chili” blend of flavors, with heat from a mix of paprika, chili, and chipotle. It is sold in 1-oz sticks, in 24-count cartons and six-count pouches.
Customer Favorites Variety Pack: This convenient variety pack of 0.5-oz mini sticks offers an array of Vermont Smoke & Cure’s best-selling sticks, providing an all-in-one, on-the-go snacking experience. Featuring customer favorites like the Original Beef & Pork, Hickory Smoked Uncured Bacon Pork, and BBQ Seasoned Beef sticks. Available in 12 count .5oz Variety Pack.

According to the company, recent Harris Poll data underscores the need for more poultry-based snack options: 75% of poultry snack shoppers agree that the lack of available poultry-based options adds time and effort to grocery shopping. Vermont Smoke & Cure's new turkey sticks directly address this consumer pain point, offering tasty, healthier alternatives in the meat snack category.

All new products reportedly maintain Vermont Smoke & Cure's commitment to quality, using meats free from antibiotics and added hormones, with no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors. The products are crafted in small batches, slow-cooked for over 18 hours, and smoked with real hardwood chips.

Jenni Spinner is the chief editor of Snack Food and Wholesale with more than 25 years of experience in business-to-business communications. She has written extensively about food production, safety and packaging; pharmaceutical drug development; concrete and masonry construction; and more. She holds a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Illinois. Jenni can be reached at spinnerj@bnpmedia.com.