Who knew the road to snack-food stardom ran through a prison vending machine? Think Jerky is having a very unexpected moment in the spotlight after appearing in Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary, You Can See Everything. And the payoff has been anything but small.
The Austin-based jerky company has reportedly seen sales of its Sriracha Honey Turkey Jerky jump 345% on Amazon, with a 95% increase on its own website over the period tracked following the film’s release. Not bad for a product placement nobody planned.
From Prison Snack to Pop Culture Sensation
In one of the documentary’s most memorable moments, Elizabeth Holmes requests turkey jerky during a prison scene. A bag of Think Jerky’s Sriracha Honey Turkey Jerky makes an appearance, and suddenly viewers are paying attention to a brand they may never have heard of before.
The unexpected cameo has sparked memes, online discussions and even Halloween costumes inspired by the packaging. Think Jerky has embraced the attention with a sense of humor, including a promotional discount code: NOTAFRAUD. Subtle? Not exactly. Effective? Apparently.
12 Years in the Making, One Very Unusual Break
Founded by Ricky Hirsch, Think Jerky spent approximately 12 years building its business without outside investment or a massive advertising budget. The company’s original mission was to give traditional jerky a more sophisticated makeover, with chef-developed flavors and an emphasis on quality ingredients.
Its Sriracha Honey Turkey Jerky, created with chef Gale Gand, has now become its unlikely breakout star.
Think Jerky already has distribution in thousands of retail locations, but this sudden burst of attention is introducing the brand to an entirely new audience.
The Best Supporting Snack?
For a small independent company, the exposure is a marketing dream that money can’t easily buy.
Elizabeth Holmes may have dominated the documentary’s headlines, but Think Jerky has managed to steal a scene — and possibly a few grocery lists. That’s one seriously profitable prison snack.
