Vermont Smoke & Cure Launches Exclusive WhistlePig Collaboration; Expands Product Line with Innovative New Meat Sticks

VSC Introduces Three New Flavors and Two First-to-Market Exclusives

Antibiotic-free, Allergen-friendly, & Gluten-free

DENVER, Colorado – Vermont Smoke & Cure, a rural smokehouse maker of premium meat products, today announced the launch of five delicious new products, including a unique collaboration with WhistlePig Whiskey, at the 2024 Newtopia Now. Visitors to Booth #1236 in the Thrive Community can be the first to sample these tasty additions to the company’s portfolio.

In a groundbreaking collaboration, Vermont Smoke & Cure has partnered with WhistlePig Whiskey to create the WhistlePig Maple Old Fashioned Meat Stick. This unique offering combines Vermont Smoke & Cure's meat crafting expertise with WhistlePig's renowned whiskey flavors, creating a cocktail-inspired snack experience. This exclusive, 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 8-count, 1 oz pouches and 40-count display shippers, perfect for retail environments.

"Our new product line, especially our partnership with WhistlePig, represents our commitment to innovation in the premium meat snack category," said 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, added, "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 – THE premier smoked beef stick for those who love beef forward flavors. Made with 100% beef, these new sticks not only delight the taste buds with rich, savory flavors, but also serve as a convenient and satisfying meal in a snack-sized format, offering busy consumers a delicious and nutritious on-the-go option. We use the finest cuts of meat that are hand trimmed and ground to create a delicious, premium smoked beef stick. Think of it as ribeye in snack format. Available in 1 oz & 24 ct carton and 1 oz & 6 ct 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 a touch of hickory smoke to drive home on flavor. Vermont Smoke & Cure is the #1 premium brand in the turkey stick space and no other protein in the meat stick category generates more dollars per week than turkey.* Available in 1 oz & 24 ct carton and 1 oz & 6 ct 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. Then the heat from a perfect mix of paprika, chili, and chipotle hit you. The key is this stick brings the hot and spicy without sacrificing the flavor! Available in 1 oz & 24 ct carton and 1 oz & 6 ct pouch.  
• Customer Favorites Variety Pack – Vermont Smoke & Cure brings the first and only multi-flavor meat stick pouch to be mass distributed in retail.** This convenient variety pack of .5oz mini sticks offers a delectable array of Vermont Smoke & Cure’s best-selling sticks to satisfy every palate, 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.

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 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.

* Source: Circana Scan Data; Total U.S. MULO; 52 weeks ending 12-31-23; Johnsonville custom snacking hierarchy. 

** Source: Total U.S. MULO Calendar Year 2023 Ending 12-31-23.

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ABOUT VERMONT SMOKE & CURE

Since 1962, Vermont Smoke & Cure has been crafting smoked meats and meat snacks in their Vermont smokehouse. The one-of-a-kind meat snacks are made with meat free from antibiotics and added hormones, artificial colors, preservatives or flavors. Available nationwide at natural food stores, supermarkets, mass merchandisers, club stores, and ecommerce retailers. All products are now available online. For more information, visit vtsmokeandcure.com.