The New SKUs
PS Seasoning is rolling out four home meat processing kits timed to fall hunting season, a product drop that brings the Wisconsin-based brand's total home-processing kit count to 27. The lineup—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)—is live at psseasoning.com and available through select retail partners as of September 15. Each kit ships with pre-portioned ingredients, casings or cure where applicable, and step-by-step instructions calibrated for first-time home processors.
The kits tap directly into measurable consumer 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 trying to prepare more meals containing meat or poultry. For a brand serving both commercial processors and the home-craft segment, that data point validates a category-management thesis: the same demand driving snack-stick and jerky velocity on retail shelves is also pushing consumers toward DIY meat processing as an extension of the at-home cooking trend.
Distribution and Retail Fit
The kits are positioned for a dual-channel strategy—direct-to-consumer via psseasoning.com and through an undisclosed footprint of physical retail locations trackable via the brand's store locator. That combination reflects a broader pattern in the specialty seasoning and meat snacks segment, where independent butcher shops, sporting goods accounts, and regional grocery chains often carry processing supplies alongside conventional packaged goods. For category managers evaluating the line, the $11.99 entry price on the bacon and jerky kits keeps the barrier low relative to comparable beginner-oriented kits, while the $29.99 Pepperoni Snack Stick Kit targets a buyer already invested in home processing equipment.
The snack stick SKU is particularly well-timed. Meat snack velocities have climbed steadily on syndicated scan data across both mass and natural/specialty channels, and pepperoni remains one of the most recognized flavor profiles in the segment. Offering that profile in a home-processing format—with 21mm collagen casings included and flexibility for beef, pork, or venison—lowers the formulation friction that typically keeps home crafters from attempting snack sticks at all.
Category Context and Operator Implications
PS Seasoning, a subsidiary of Dervati—the Hanni family's third-generation food experience company—operates at an unusual intersection: over 5,000 proprietary blends and 80 million pounds of seasoning produced annually for commercial accounts, with a growing direct-to-consumer spices and seasonings business layered on top. That commercial R&D depth, including a four-person team of certified Master Meat Crafters trained through the University of Wisconsin–Madison's two-year meat science program, is the core brand equity being leveraged in these kits.
"Meat processing is a craft, but you don't have to be an expert to make a great first batch," said Stephanie Neu, Master Meat Crafter at PS Seasoning. "Starting with the right ingredients, measurements and instructions makes all the difference."
Alongside the new kit lineup, the brand released a free Meat Block Calculator at psseasoning.com—a formulation tool adapted from the methodology used with commercial customers that allows home processors to scale seasoning, cure, and water measurements by raw meat weight. For retailers, that kind of digital support infrastructure can extend the lifetime value of a kit purchaser into repeat seasoning and casing purchases, creating a recurring basket that is difficult to replicate with a standalone SKU.
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.
