Vermont Smoke & Cure, a rural smokehouse maker of premium meat products, is announcing the launch of five 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 additions to the company’s portfolio.

Vermont Smoke & Cure has partnered with WhistlePig Whiskey to create the WhistlePig Maple Old Fashioned Meat Stick. This offering combines Vermont Smoke & Cure's meat-crafting expertise with WhistlePig's whiskey flavors, creating a cocktail-inspired snack experience. This exclusive, limited-time-only meat stick will be available in stores and online starting Sept.23, 2024, coinciding with National Snack Stick Day. The WhistlePig Maple Old Fashioned Meat Stick will be available in eight-count, one-ounce pouches and 40-count display shippers.

WhistlePig Maple Old Fashioned Meat Sticks. Courtesy of Vermont Smoke & Cure

"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, said, "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 – A smoked beef stick for those who enjoy beef-forward flavors in a snack-sized format. Available in one-ounce sticks in 24-count carton or one-ounce sticks in 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 a touch of hickory smoke to drive home on flavor. Available in one-ounce sticks in 24-count carton or one-ounce sticks in 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. Then the heat from a mix of paprika, chili, and chipotle hit. Available in one-ounce sticks in 24-count carton or one-ounce sticks in a six-count pouch.  
• Customer Favorites Variety Pack – Vermont Smoke & Cure brings the first and only multiflavor meat stick pouch to be mass-distributed in retail, according to total U.S. MULO calendar year 2023 ending 12-31-23. This convenient variety pack of half-ounce 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 a 12-count half-ounce Variety Pack.

Variety Pack pouch. Courtesy of Vermont Smoke & Cure

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.

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: Vermont Smoke & Cure