Source: Courtesy of Chomps

Chicken sticks disrupt the snack aisle

For decades, the meat snack aisle belonged to beef. Then chicken showed up, growing at six times the rate of the overall category.

Chicken is the most-consumed protein in the United States, yet historically it has had minimal presence in the meat snacks aisle, which has been dominated by beef and pork jerky. That gap is closing quickly as brands demonstrate that shoppers are willing to trade up for leaner, cleaner-label options and prioritize protein across more eating occasions.

Mighty Spark, which holds the top-selling position in the chicken-only snack stick segment, says it will expand to more than 25,000 distribution points by year's end. New retail placements include expanded shelf presence across every Kroger division, three new items at Publix, and 12-count variety packs rolling out to Costco clubs nationwide.

To capitalize on that momentum, the company introduced two new products earlier this year: a Maple Chicken Snack Stick targeting family shoppers and a new half-ounce mini stick format available in Original Sea Salt and Pepper and Teriyaki varieties. The minis, designed for lunchboxes and on-the-go snacking, reflect a broader industry push to capture more eating occasions throughout the day.

Chomps approached the same opportunity from a different direction. After more than a decade in development, the brand launched three chicken stick flavors — Original Chicken, Nashville Hot and Savory Breakfast — each delivering 12 grams of protein and just 80 calories with zero sugar, made from antibiotic-free chicken with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

The Savory Breakfast variety is a particularly notable strategic move: it is among the first of its kind, transforming meat sticks from a primarily daytime snack into an all-day option by targeting morning eating occasions.

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