Beef jerky sales grew by nearly seven% last year, according to Nielsen. Meat snacks are second only to potato chips in the salty snack category, but potato chips posted only 1.7% dollar growth over the same time period. 

"Beef jerky provides all of the convenience of a traditional savory snack with no cooking or refrigeration needed, but packs a punch of protein and essential nutrients that make it stand out on the snack aisle," said Alisa Harrison, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing & Research for National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff.