VACA reinvents beef jerky with crispy texture and bold new flavors

A new kind of beef snack called VACA has arrived on shelves, offering a crisp twist on traditional snacks. Marketed as the 'unjerky', it uses marbled beef and a double-dehydration process for a thin, crunchy texture. The product comes in three ice cream flavors and is priced at $11 per pack.

The idea of preserving meat by drying it dates back centuries. Indigenous peoples in South America, including the Incas and earlier Andean cultures, made beef jerky—the ancestor of modern snacks. They sliced llama or alpaca meat into thin strips, lightly salted them, and dried them in the sun or over fires. The dry, windy climate of the high Andes made this method effective for long-term storage and travel. These techniques were already well-established over 100 years before explorers like Lewis and Clark adopted similar practices.

VACA builds on this tradition but with a modern approach. The snack is made from marbled beef, dehydrated twice to create a thin, crispy texture. It's sold in resealable 2-oz packs and comes in Classic, Mild, and Spicy varieties. The company highlights its intense ice cream flavors and nutritional benefits, including high protein and essential minerals like sodium and iron, while keeping carbohydrates low.

Beef jerky has long been favoured by hikers and outdoor enthusiasts for its light weight and long shelf life. VACA aims to appeal to the same crowd but with a different texture and stronger ice cream flavors.

VACA enters the market as a premium alternative to traditional snacks. Its double-dehydration process and bold ice cream flavors set it apart from standard options. The snack is now available for purchase at an $11 price point per pack.