High-protein consumer demand is driving growth well beyond the supplement aisle—and PS Seasoning is meeting it at the cutting board. The Wisconsin-based flavor and ingredient company launched four new meat processing kits on September 15, giving home processors a structured entry into sausage, snack sticks, bacon, and jerky production ahead of fall hunting season.
The four SKUs—Fresh Italian Sausage Kit ($24.99), Pepperoni Snack Stick Kit ($29.99), Smoked Maple Bacon Kit ($11.99), and Jerky Kit – Candied Jalapeño ($11.99)—each include pre-portioned seasoning blends, cure (where applicable), casings, and step-by-step processing instructions. Batch yields run 25 pounds for the sausage, snack stick, and bacon kits and 15 pounds for the jerky kit. Every kit is formulated for conventional proteins as well as wild game, directly addressing the hunter-processor segment.
Protein Demand as the Backdrop
The launch lands against measurable category momentum. According to The Power of Meat 2026 from FMI and the Meat Institute, protein has grown in importance for 42% of Americans, and 45% of shoppers report actively preparing more meals containing meat or poultry. For operators in the better-for-you and high-protein CPG space, that data reinforces what supplement and functional-food formulators have tracked for years: protein is the macro consumers are managing most intentionally. Home meat processing sits at the intersection of that trend and the broader clean-label movement, giving consumers direct control over ingredients, sourcing, and sodium levels in finished products like jerky and snack sticks.
PS Seasoning's formulation pedigree runs deep. The company employs four certified Master Meat Crafters who hold credentials from the University of Wisconsin–Madison's two-year meat science, food safety, and processing program—a qualification comparable in rigor to what commercial ingredient suppliers use to validate finished formulations. "Starting with the right ingredients, measurements and instructions makes all the difference," said Stephanie Neu, Master Meat Crafter at PS Seasoning. "Once people understand the fundamentals, there are so many ways to experiment with different proteins, flavors and techniques."
Formulation Tools for Scaling Up
Alongside the kits, PS Seasoning released a free Meat Block Calculator—a digital formulation tool that mirrors the seasoning-to-meat-weight ratios the company uses with its commercial processor clients. Users select a seasoning, enter raw meat weight, and receive exact measurements for seasoning, cure, and water in pounds, ounces, or grams. The move mirrors a broader industry pattern seen in sports nutrition and functional ingredient supply, where brands provide calculators and formulation guides to deepen engagement and accelerate adoption among less experienced users.
The four new additions bring PS Seasoning's home-processing kit catalog to 27 SKUs, complementing an extensive range of sausage, snack stick, summer sausage, and jerky seasonings, casings, and processing supplies. The company, founded in 1977 and now part of the Dervati family of food experience brands, produces more than 5,000 unique seasoning blends and over 80 million pounds of seasoning annually, serving commercial processors, meat markets, and butcher shops alongside the direct-to-consumer channel.
The kits are available now at psseasoning.com/processing-kits and select retail locations. For brands and operators tracking the intersection of high-protein product development and clean-label formulation trends, the home-processing category represents a consumer segment that is self-selecting into ingredient transparency—one worth watching as snack stick and jerky formats continue to expand in better-for-you snacking.
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.
