Founded by Marcos Espinoza in 2012 as a creative outlet in Philadelphia’s food scene, Side Project Jerky makes small-batch jerky inspired by global cuisine. The Pennsylvania-based company collaborates with chefs to develop distinctive flavors, then has its small team marinate and slow-dry each batch in Gettysburg. Its craft approach turns portable protein into something closer to a chef’s kitchen creation than a standard snack.
Big John’s Beef JerkyBorn in 1976 in a carport smoker in Newport, Tennessee, Big John’s Beef Jerky makes small-batch, hand-crafted jerky from premium beef and real hickory smoke. The company still follows its original recipe and slow-smokes its beef for more than 14 hours, with fresh jerky made daily and shipped soon after packaging. Its lineup also includes jerky made from locally sourced turkey breast, backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.YORK, PA
Moses Family JerkyMoses Family Jerky is a Pennsylvania family business that began in 2013 as a set of farmers market stands in York County. It carries forward a family recipe in its homemade-style smoked beef jerky, now supplying customers through retailers stretching from Philadelphia to Baltimore.311919HANOVER, PA
Damn Good FoodsDamn Good Foods began with a simple objection to the tough, chewy jerky its founders found on the market. Based in Stillwater, New York, the company developed its own process to make tender, flavorful beef jerky for people who want a high-protein snack that is easier to enjoy, including kids.STILLWATER, NY
Medina Foods, IncBorn from Al Nimer’s 1997 Cleveland-area car-sales venture, Medina Foods makes Goldrush artisan beef jerky and beef sticks at its facility in Litchfield, Ohio. The family-owned company uses American-sourced beef, hand-carves and slow-cooks its snacks, and has grown from a founder working with two friends to a brand sold in all 50 states. Its USDA-inspected operation holds SQF Level 2 certification and also produces private-label meat snacks for wholesale partners.LITCHFIELD, OH