Link Snacks unites brands as protein demand reshapes snacking

Familiar convenience-services brands like Jack Link’s and Lorissa’s Organic Snacks have a newly named home, as the company behind the popular brands rebranded as Link Snacks. The change does not replace the Jack Link’s consumer brand; instead, Link Snacks will serve as the corporate home for brands such as Golden Island, Country Fresh Meats, BiFi, Peperami, Minuets and KOOEE!

CEO Troy Link said the new identity reflects the company’s existing scale and its goal of becoming the world’s leading protein snack company. Link Snacks operates facilities in 11 countries and remains based in Minong, Wis.

Link Snack explores consumer attitudes Jerky was the leading better-for-you category in VendingMarketWatch.com’s 2026 State of the Vending and Micro Market Industry survey, selected by 27% of responding operators. Protein bars and fresh food each received 18%. Together, the three protein-oriented categories accounted for 63% of responses.

In June, Link Snacks conducted consumer research with Talker Research to examine snack frequency, protein preferences and attitudes toward product labels. The survey found:

Snack frequency

Respondents snack an average of 4.5 times per day. Millennials reported the highest frequency at 5.2 daily snack occasions, followed by Generation Z at five. More than one-quarter of respondents said they snack at least six times each day. Taste remained the leading measure of a good snack, selected by 60% of respondents. Satiety was the top measure for 40% and 31% said a good snack should contain protein. High protein products were most frequently associated with midday energy, late-night snacking and busy mornings. Those occasions could provide merchandising opportunities for vending and micro market operators serving workplaces and other around-the-clock locations. Protein preferences

Respondents feel uncertain about protein sources and nutrition claims. Only about six in 10 respondents felt confident that they knew how much protein they needed each day. Meat snacks ranked highest for several consumer perceptions. Fifty-eight percent said they trusted meat snacks most for health benefits, compared with 27% for protein shakes and 15% for protein bars. Respondents also associated meat protein with strength and endurance, with 52% calling meat snacks the most satisfying protein source, while 61% said they would select meat snacks if limited to one protein source for a year. At the same time, only 24% identified meat snacks as the healthiest protein option. Protein bars received 31% of responses while protein shakes received 28%. The results indicate that consumers may value meat snacks for satiety and functional benefits without consistently viewing them as the healthiest choice. Product label claims

Link Snacks also found growing skepticism toward protein claims. Twenty-nine percent of respondents believed most high-protein or better-for-you claims deliver on their promises. Thirty-seven percent said clean protein was preferable to processed protein, while 35% believed any protein was better than none. Twenty-seven percent selected products based on what looked interesting on the shelf, compared with 16% who relied on a doctor’s advice. Ingredient lists presented another source of consumer concern. Respondents estimated that 60% of snacks on store shelves contain too many ingredients, and 66% said they trusted snacks more when they contained fewer ingredients. Eighty-one percent had struggled to pronounce an ingredient on a snack label, while 73% felt overwhelmed by ingredient lists. More than half said marketing had caused them to overestimate how healthy a product was. The concern was particularly pronounced among younger consumers. Fifty-two percent of Generation Z respondents said ingredient lists overwhelm them all the time, and 60% said snack marketing had misled them about a product’s healthfulness. The study also examined consumer attitudes associated with the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 medications. Among all respondents, 48% identified meat as the best protein source for maintaining muscle mass while eating less. Dairy and eggs received 29%, while plant protein received 7%.

For convenience services operators, the findings suggest protein demand extends across several dayparts and age groups. They also indicate that shoppers may respond more favorably to clear ingredient information, familiar protein sources and straightforward product claims.

Link Snacks unites brands as protein demand reshapes snacking

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