Meat + Poultry - January 2004 - 28

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"Traditionally, the ingredient listings on meat snacks
more closely resemble the
chemical components of
plutonium sulfide than a
dry cured meat product."
The Joystick is basically a dry-cured pepperoni
produced in Applegate's
Canadian production facility. The pepperoni is
seasoned with what the
company calls a "blend
of dragon jerky spice,"
which includes sugar,
paprika and garlic. Oneounce Joy Sticks contain 9 grams of protein,
100 calories, 7 grams of
fat, 3 grams of saturated
fat and no carbohydrates, nitrites, gluten
or monosodium glutamate. "It's not like it's a lab-created product,"
says Scott Yacovino, marketing manager.
The fact that the product rolled out this past fall in the midst of
the low-carb diet craze is purely coincidental, but fortunate. "We
got kind of lucky with the timing," adds Yacovino.
The product is a good fit for the company because they are
able to explore a new market without a huge investment in labor
or equipment. Additionally, because of its one-year shelf life, it's
a processing-friendly addition to the company's product line. Joy
Sticks are processed to fill in any gaps in the production schedule.
Officials are hoping the product is also a good fit for "people who
need a quick protein hit in the middle of the day," says Yacovino.
Spawned more from a hunch and without any market research
to back it, Yacovino says the decision to target active people is a
cost-effective way of diversifying. The development and roll out
of the product has been in the works for about two years. With
a marketing staff of just three people, the promotional work was
done in house, including the oriental design of the package. "We
went from entrée-type items and decided to take a stab at this,"
says Yacovino.
Like Protos, Joy Stick is positioned to compete for dollars consumers might otherwise spend on meal replacement bars. The
suggested retail price is 99 cents for a one-ounce stick. "This is the
perfect product to make you feel satiated longer," says Yacovino.
Initially the Joy Stick is being sold at outlets where Applegate
already has a presence, at United Natural Foods, Inc., stores,
for example and at niche grocers like Albert's Organics, Inc. But
for now, Yacovino is going with the flow and hasn't set any aggressive sales goals for the product. He says ideally Joy Sticks
will be available at the point of sale in venues like health clubs,
golf courses and health food stores. "Eventually I want to see it
available broadly across the country and expand the flavors and
species," he says.
M&P
We would like to hear from you-
your comments and questions
about this article are welcome.
E-mail the author at: jcrews@sosland.com

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JANUARY 2004

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Meat + Poultry - January 2004

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