MINONG, Wis. -- Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker officially proclaimed June 12, 2013, as Jack Link's Jerky Day throughout the state to celebrate the company's positive impact on the state. The proclamation coincides with National Jerky Day.
The governors of Iowa and South Dakota, and the mayors of Minneapolis and Bellevue, Neb., made similar proclamations.
Jack Link's was founded more than 25 years ago in the north woods of Wisconsin. The company has become a leader in the meat snack category.
The Minong, Wis.-based company operates production facilities in both Minong and New Glarus, Wis., and employs more than 1,000 people statewide, Jack Link's contributes significantly to the framework of the state of Wisconsin's economy, it said, as well as to other states.
"I'm happy to officially proclaim Wednesday, June 12, 2013, as Jack Link's Jerky Day throughout the great state of Wisconsin," said Walker. "Jack Link's has infused the region with jobs and is fostering economic growth throughout the area. I'm proud to commemorate Jack Link's on this special day."
To celebrate National Jerky Day, the company surprised players, fans and spectators at Omaha Champions Village, home of amateur baseball tournaments, by gifting Jack Link's Jerky to fans in a "wild," unique snack delivery dubbed "Operation Sky Meat." Omaha Champions Village is located in Bellevue, Neb., near another one of Jack Link's facilities.
To execute Operation Sky Meat, the brand dropped thousands of bags of Jack Link's Jerky from a helicopter, filling the sky with snacks.
It showered the venue with more than 1,000 bags of jerky, and it gave away more than 33,000 bags of jerky to fans and charities across the country.
"We are never short on great ideas, and this one quickly rose to the top," said Kevin Papacek, director of marketing, Jack Link's Beef Jerky. "Operation Sky Meat--a mission to literally drop a massive amount of jerky from the sky--to applaud the unconventional, the unexpected and the untamed spirit of the brand was the first of many ways we celebrated National Jerky Day 2013."
Jack Link's Beef Jerky packages with individual, mini-parachutes dropped from a helicopter and floated to the ground. In partnership with Baseball Youth, hundreds of youth baseball players, spectators and fans gathered to witness a spectacular shower of jerky, as well as have a taste of jerky from more than 10,000 additional samples that were available throughout the two-day tournament.
Los Angeles received free samples of Jack Link's Beef Jerky at the Hollywood & Highland Center. Its mascot, Sasquatch, and the Jack Link's Wild Side truck, armed with 20,000 samples, appeared at the center of the landmark located on Hollywood Boulevard. Jack Link's Beef Jerky also made a comedic debut on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Jack Link's provided about 3,000 bags of jerky to philanthropic organizations throughout the country during the month of June to honor National Jerky Day. Organizations benefiting from this protein-packed contribution included the American Red Cross relief efforts in Oklahoma City as well as YMCA summer programs in Atlanta, Detroit, Kansas City, Mo., Mankato, Minn., Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Seattle. This is above and beyond the annual charitable contributions by the company. In 2012, Jack Link's donated more than 21,000 pounds of food to food banks nationwide, and much more.
Jack Link's Beef Jerky offers more than 100 varieties of jerky made from premium cuts of beef, turkey, chicken and pork.
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