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 the recipes of his great-grandfather, Chris Link, a master sausage maker from Germany.[4] They are known for their "Messin' with Sasquatch" ads.[5]
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| Industry | Food manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | Minong, Wisconsin, United States (1986) |
| Founder | John 'Jack' Link |
| Headquarters | Minong, Wisconsin, United States of America[1] |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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| Products | |
| Website | |
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]
References
External links
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