MrBeast and Jack Link’s team up on jerky and meat sticks for kids

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Dive Brief:

• YouTube star MrBeast is partnering with meat snacks giant Jack Link’s on a line of beef jerky and meat sticks, set to debut on shelves this fall.
• The collaboration includes multipacks with individual-sized portions of jerky and meat sticks. The products are aimed at Gen Alpha, children under age 15, as well as Gen Z and parents, according to the press release.
• Jack Link’s pointed to Nielsen IQ data that identified an opportunity in the meat snacking category, with 33% of children snacking more than three times a day but only 9% opting for meat snacks.

Dive Insight:

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is among the most visible faces of online fame, particularly among children, boasting nearly 400 million subscribers on YouTube. The Jack Link’s launch, along with MrBeast’s other endeavors in the food and restaurant industry, indicate social media influencers' growing power in the grocery store.

The collaboration is the latest partnership for the YouTube star in the food space. Last fall, MrBeast released a better-for-you alternative to Lunchables called Lunchly alongside other social media influencers.

The content creator also owns Feastables, a chocolate brand launched in 2022 that sells snack bars and candies. The profitable chocolate business posted sales of about $250 million last year, according to Bloomberg.

“We’re always looking to partner with brands that share our ‘better than the competition’ and ‘better-for-you’ philosophy, so this collaboration with Jack Link’s felt like a natural fit,” said Jeff Housenbold, CEO of MrBeast, in a statement.

Not all of the YouTube star’s launches have gone smoothly. MrBeast sued Virtual Dining Concepts in 2023 over the MrBeast Burger, a brand of burgers and fries he co-launched and tried to shut down. Meanwhile, Lunchly's launch was mired by consumer reports of moldy cheese.

Jack Link’s, owned by Link Snacks, has aimed to boost its profile among young consumers through the use of flashy marketing. Last year, the brand took a swipe at rival Slim Jim in a Gen-Z inspired advertising campaign to promote its Wild line of meat sticks.

The meat snacks category is projected to be worth $20 billion by 2034, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.2%, according to Precedence Research.