Jerky co-packers and manufacturers
Beef jerky, meat sticks and meat snacks. Every fact is checked against the manufacturer's own published information, with the date we checked it.
Jerky is a meat product, so it is usually regulated by USDA FSIS rather than FDA: the line sits at more than 3 percent raw meat, or 2 percent or more cooked meat or poultry12. The plant needs a grant of inspection and an establishment number, with inspectors on site during operations, and labels with special claims need approval first, usually a 5 to 10 day wait1.
You can check a plant yourself: FSIS publishes every inspected establishment in a directory that is updated weekly and can be downloaded3. The plants below state their inspection status, their smoking and slicing lines, and in some cases a minimum run by the pound.
In this directory
6 plants in this directory make beef jerky, meat sticks and meat snacks on their own websites. They are spread across 10 states, with the most in Minnesota, Illinois and Tennessee. 2 publish a minimum order, 4 state a GFSI-benchmarked certificate and 3 say they take startups or pilot runs.
Processes they state
- Milling and grinding4
- Slicing and portioning4
- Smoking4
- Extrusion3
- Frying3
- Baking2
- Vacuum packing2
- Blast freezing1
Packages they fill
- Bags and flexible film4
- Cartons and boxes3
- Trays and clamshells2
- Vacuum packs2
- Flow wrap1
Certifications they state
- SQF4
- HACCP2
- BRCGS1
- Certified gluten-free1
- GMP1
- Halal1
- Kosher1
- Non-GMO Project1
Minimums these plants publish
- Lorentz MeatsFurther processing sample runs should be about 200 lb; regular run minimums depend on the product. Slaughter for individuals has a ten-animal minimum (as of 2026), and a new branded beef program needs 1,000 or more head a year
- Turasky MeatsMinimum run sizes are typically 400 lbs per flavor
The plants
Filter these in the directory- Bartlett, TN (also SC)
Snack maker based in Bartlett, Tennessee, in business since 1979, that has co-packed and made private label snacks for regional and national brands and large grocery wholesalers since...
Process
ExtrusionFryingMinimum order
Not publishedSQF (level not verified) - Cannon Falls, MN
Full-service USDA-inspected meat packer in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, handling beef and bison slaughter through retail-ready packaging for niche, natural, organic and grass-fed meat...
Process
SmokingSlicing and portioningMilling and grindingPackaging
Trays and clamshellsMinimum order
Further processing sample runs should be about 200 lb; regular run minimums depend on the product. Slaughter for individuals has a ten-animal minimum (as of 2026), and a new branded beef program needs 1,000 or more head a yearSQF (level not verified)Takes startups or pilot runs - Memphis, TN (also IA, IN, MA, MN, VA, WI)
Prepared food manufacturer headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, doing co-manufacturing and private label for meat snacks and jerky, raw and precooked bacon, corn dogs, battered and fried...
Process
FryingBakingIQF freezingBlast freezingSmokingSlicing and portioning+3 morePackaging
Cartons and boxesBags and flexible filmFlow wrapTrays and clamshellsMinimum order
Not publishedBRCGS, SQF - City of Industry, CA (also IL)
Private label and co-manufacturing snack maker founded in 1978, headquartered in City of Industry, California with a second plant in Freeport, Illinois. Makes tortilla and potato chips,...
Process
BakingFryingExtrusionPackaging
Bags and flexible filmCartons and boxesMinimum order
Not publishedSQF (level not verified) - Bemidji, MN
Family smokehouse company from Bemidji, Minnesota, that co-packs and private labels smoked meats for retail and DTC brands, including snack sticks, jerky, summer sausage, bratwurst, hot...
Process
SmokingVacuum packingSlicing and portioningMilling and grindingNitrogen flush and MAPPackaging
Vacuum packsBags and flexible filmMinimum order
Not publishedTakes startups or pilot runs - Springfield, IL
USDA federally inspected meat processor in Springfield, Illinois, that co-packs and private labels snack sticks for brands nationwide and co-packs beef, pork, chicken and turkey...
Process
SmokingVacuum packingSlicing and portioningMilling and grindingPackaging
Vacuum packsBags and flexible filmCartons and boxesMinimum order
Minimum run sizes are typically 400 lbs per flavorTakes startups or pilot runs
Read before you call
- FDA or USDA: when meat or poultry changes the rules
- Questions to ask a co-packer on the first call
- Co-packer minimum order quantities by category
Other categories
Sources
General information, not legal or regulatory advice. Confirm your product's requirements with a process authority or regulator. Plant facts come from each manufacturer's own published information; see the data policy.