The Jerky Group is opening its first UK processing plant and switching from using South American to British meat for its jerky.

The company - which produces brands including Wild West as well as M&S own-label lines - currently only packs its jerky in the UK, but will now also produce it here at a new processing plant in Forres, near Inverness, that goes live next week.

Prompted by strong jerky sales, it will start making the jerky from UK beef, primarily from Scotland in the coming months. Products would also now be additive-free, said founding partner James Newitt. Double-digit sales growth had created the critical mass to justify the move, he added.

“Consumers have become better informed about the benefits of healthier snacking as part of a healthier lifestyle,” he said.

The company was given a £245,000 grant by the Scottish government through its Food Processing Marketing and Co-operation Award.

A dedicated division, Meat Snacks Ltd, had been created to manage the processing operation and the company would continue to pack most of its lines at its Milton Keynes site, it said.

Overall take-home sales in the beef jerky market have risen 50.5% to £4.4m on volumes up 66.6% [Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 17 February 2013], although industry insiders estimate the total UK market to be worth around £12m.

The Jerky Group plans to extend its range with new flavours and meat snacks later in the year, and will roll out new packaging for Wild West in the coming months.

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