Vermont Smoke & Cure has launched two new meat sticks developed in collaboration with Kraft Heinz Licensing, translating the flavor profiles of A.1. Original Sauce and Lea & Perrins Worcestershire into portable, shelf-stable snack form. The products are now available nationwide at Kroger, marking the first time either iconic condiment brand has been paired with a meat stick format.
For operators in hospitality and food service, the launch signals a broader consumer appetite for bold, steakhouse-inspired flavors outside of traditional dining occasions. As premium snacking continues to reshape food-and-beverage purchasing behavior, co-branded products that borrow equity from trusted legacy brands are gaining traction with retailers and buyers alike. Vermont Smoke & Cure, founded in 1962, has positioned itself as a craft-forward player in a category increasingly crowded with mainstream competitors.
The partnership with Kraft Heinz Licensing is notable for the meat snack segment, where flavor differentiation is a primary purchase driver. A.1. and Lea & Perrins carry strong recognition among consumers who associate them with premium beef preparation, giving the new sticks a built-in flavor story that resonates with steak-loving demographics. That kind of brand storytelling can also benefit hospitality operators exploring branded snack and charcuterie programming for grab-and-go retail or amenity offerings.
Vermont Smoke & Cure describes itself as an artisanal smokehouse, and the Kraft Heinz collaboration suggests the brand is actively scaling its retail footprint while leveraging licensing partnerships to expand its flavor range. The Kroger rollout provides immediate broad distribution across one of the country's largest grocery chains, setting up strong visibility heading into summer grilling and snacking seasons. Coverage of similar cross-category licensing moves can be found across Food & Beverage Magazine, which tracks brand collaboration trends throughout the CPG and food service landscape.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
