Slim Jim
An American meat-snack brand known for shelf-stable smoked and seasoned meat sticks.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Slim Jim is an American meat-snack brand best known for individually packaged meat sticks sold through convenience stores, supermarkets, vending channels, and other impulse-oriented retail locations. The brand is associated with a strongly seasoned, smoked and fermented-style snack that is designed to be portable, shelf-stable, and consumed without preparation. Its core audience has historically included teenagers, young adults, convenience-store shoppers, and consumers seeking a savory snack between meals. The first Slim Jim was developed in Philadelphia in 1929 by Al Levis and his brother-in-law and business partner Joseph Cherry. The early product was not identical to the formulation sold under the brand in later decades. During the 1940s, the founders worked with a meatpacker to develop a version suitable for larger-scale production. The brand changed ownership in 1967, when Levis sold the company to General Mills for approximately $20 million. General Mills moved operations to Raleigh, North Carolina, and combined the business with the recently acquired Jesse Jones Sausage Company, creating Goodmark Foods. Goodmark became the setting for further product development. Lon Adams, who worked for Goodmark, developed the modern Slim Jim recipe used from the 1990s onward. The product is commonly described in consumer and technical accounts as a meat stick, although its processing resembles that of a fermented sausage: meat is combined with seasonings, sugar and a starter culture, then treated to develop acidity and the characteristic texture. Formulations have included beef, pork, mechanically separated chicken, salt, dextrose, sodium nitrite, soy-derived ingredients and other processing components, with specific ingredients varying by product and over time. In 1982, General Mills placed Goodmark up for sale. Ron Doggett and three other Goodmark executives acquired the company, with Doggett becoming president and chief operating officer. Conagra acquired Goodmark in 1998, bringing Slim Jim into the portfolio of what is now Conagra Brands. For many years, the former Jones Sausage facility in Garner, North Carolina, was the brand's only production site. A major explosion and fire at the plant on June 9, 2009, killed four people and caused extensive damage. Conagra reopened the facility roughly six weeks later, but reduced capacity required production to be distributed to other locations, including a plant in Troy, Ohio. The Garner facility ultimately closed in 2011. Slim Jim's cultural profile has been shaped as much by advertising as by the product itself. The long-running "Snap into a Slim Jim!" platform used professional wrestlers, including The Ultimate Warrior and Macho Man Randy Savage, to give the brand an exaggerated, energetic personality. Savage's loud delivery and recurring appearances from 1993 through 2000 helped establish Slim Jim as a recognizable youth-oriented snack brand. Later advertising used figures such as Vanilla Ice, Bam Bam Bigelow, Kevin Nash, Edge, Bianca Belair, LA Knight and Jey Uso, alongside fictional characters including Slim Jim Guy, the Fairy Snapmother and the Snapalope. The brand has also used sports sponsorships, music and youth media. It appeared on MTV, ESPN and WCW programming, sponsored the ASA Pro Tour from 1997 to 2000, and supported NASCAR Busch Series champions Bobby Labonte and David Green in the early 1990s. Digital campaigns included the 2008 SpicySide.com initiative, which invited users to create avatars and compete in a fictional online setting. More recently, Slim Jim has used social-media humor, memes and its informal "Long Boi Gang" identity to maintain relevance in online communities. In June 2025, Slim Jim and WWE announced a multiyear partnership extension involving center-ring sponsorship of Raw and Slim Jim branding on folding tables across WWE tentpole programming. Today, Slim Jim remains an active Conagra Brands product line. In addition to the original meat stick,…
History
Slim Jim originated in Philadelphia in 1929, when Al Levis and Joseph Cherry created the first version of the meat snack. The founders later worked with a meatpacker during the 1940s to develop a formulation and process capable of commercial production. The early product differed from the formulation associated with the brand in the modern era. Levis sold the company to General Mills in 1967 for approximately $20 million. General Mills transferred operations to Raleigh, North Carolina, and combined the business with Jesse Jones Sausage Company, which it had recently acquired. The merged operation became Goodmark Foods. Ron Doggett joined the Raleigh organization in 1969 as corporate controller and later became its vice president of finance. General Mills put Goodmark up for sale in 1982. Doggett and three other Goodmark executives acquired the company, and Doggett became president and chief operating officer. During the Goodmark period, Lon Adams developed the modern Slim Jim recipe that became associated with the brand from the 1990s onward. The product is generally treated as a meat stick in retail, while its processing has characteristics of a fermented sausage, including the use of a starter culture and sugar to develop acidity and texture. Conagra acquired Goodmark in 1998. Until 2009, the former Jones Sausage facility in Garner, North Carolina, was the only plant producing Slim Jims. On June 9, 2009, an explosion and fire at the facility killed four workers and caused heavy damage. Conagra reopened the plant after about six weeks, but the site could produce only around half of its prior capacity. Production was therefore supplemented by other facilities, including a plant in Troy, Ohio. The Garner facility closed on May 20, 2011. Marketing became a central part of Slim Jim's identity. The "Snap into a Slim Jim!" concept was developed by North Castle Partners. After an initial plan involving comedian Sam Kinison could not proceed, the campaign turned to professional wrestling, beginning with The Ultimate Warrior in 1991. Macho Man Randy Savage became the most prominent spokesperson from 1993 through 2000, helping make the brand's exaggerated vocal style and rebellious humor widely recognizable. Later campaigns used other wrestlers, musicians, fictional mascots and digitally enabled promotions. Slim Jim advertised through MTV, ESPN and WCW and sponsored the ASA Pro Tour between 1997 and 2000. It also supported NASCAR Busch Series champions Bobby Labonte and David Green. Campaigns such as the Fairy Snapmother, Snapalope and Slim Jim Guy extended the brand's surreal and provocative tone. The 2008 SpicySide.com campaign added avatars, online competition and a World of Warcraft parody developed with Machinima creator Myndflame. In the 2010s and 2020s, the brand increasingly used social-media humor and meme-based engagement. The active brand remains owned and marketed by Conagra Brands. Its portfolio includes original and flavored meat sticks as well as beef jerky and tender steak-strip products. Slim Jim continues to emphasize portability, bold flavor and an entertainment-linked identity, particularly through its relationship with professional wrestling.
- 2025
WWE partnership extended
[1]Slim Jim and WWE announced a multiyear partnership involving Raw center-ring sponsorship and branding on folding tables at major WWE programming.
- 2011
Garner plant closed
[1]The historic North Carolina production facility ceased operations.
- 2009
Garner plant explosion and fire
[1]A major industrial accident killed four people and disrupted Slim Jim production.
- 2008
SpicySide.com launched
[1]Slim Jim introduced an online avatar and social-gaming campaign built around its "Spicy Side" identity.
- 1998
Conagra acquired Goodmark
[1]Slim Jim became part of Conagra's branded food portfolio through the acquisition of Goodmark Foods.
- 1991
The Ultimate Warrior launched the wrestling advertising platform
[1]The first major "Snap into a Slim Jim!" wrestling commercial featured The Ultimate Warrior.
- 1982
Goodmark was acquired by its executives
[1]Ron Doggett and three other Goodmark executives purchased the company after General Mills offered it for sale.
- 1969
Ron Doggett joined Goodmark's Raleigh operation
[1]Doggett became corporate controller of the newly formed Goodmark Foods organization.
- 1967
General Mills acquired the company
[1]Al Levis sold the company to General Mills, which moved operations to North Carolina and formed Goodmark Foods with Jesse Jones Sausage.
- 1940
Product adapted for commercial production
[1]The founders worked with a meatpacker during the 1940s to develop the product for larger-scale manufacturing.
Products and positioning
Mass-market, highly seasoned and portable meat snacks with an irreverent, youth-oriented and convenience-retail-focused brand identity.
Meat snack · 1929
Original Slim Jim meat sticks
The signature Slim Jim format is a narrow, individually packaged, shelf-stable meat stick with a strongly seasoned and smoky flavor profile. The product has historically used combinations of beef, pork and mechanically separated chicken, together with salt, sugar, starter culture, sodium nitrite and other ingredients. It is designed for immediate consumption and is strongly associated with convenience stores and impulse snacking.
Meat snack
Flavored Slim Jim meat sticks
The brand has expanded its core stick format into multiple flavor and heat variations. These products retain the portable, shelf-stable structure of the original while using different spice blends and seasoning profiles to broaden the range beyond the standard flavor.
Jerky
Slim Jim beef jerky
Slim Jim's beef jerky line extends the brand into a more conventional dried-meat format. The documented range includes an original flavor, two spicy varieties and a Smokin' Apple flavor, giving the brand a product with a chewier and more substantial eating experience than its traditional meat sticks.
Meat snack
Slim Jim tender steak strips
Tender steak strips are a higher-quality-positioned extension of the Slim Jim portfolio. They use a softer steak-strip format rather than the narrow traditional stick and are offered in three documented flavors. The line gives the brand a way to participate in premium meat-snack occasions while retaining its established seasoning-led identity.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025WWE partnership extension
United States
The multiyear WWE agreement positioned Slim Jim as the center-ring sponsor of Raw and placed Slim Jim branding on folding tables across WWE tentpole programming.
Outcome. Renewed and expanded the brand's long-standing connection with professional wrestling.
- 2012Social-media and Long Boi Gang identity
United States · Online
Slim Jim used internet humor, meme participation and comments on popular social-media pages to cultivate an informal online community around the product's elongated shape and irreverent personality.
Outcome. Helped maintain cultural visibility through platform-native brand voice rather than conventional advertising alone.
- 2008SpicySide.com
United States
Consumers could create avatars and battle friends in an online environment called Spicy Town. Slim Jim also worked with Machinima creator Myndflame on a World of Warcraft parody.
Outcome. Moved the brand's humor and participation strategy into online entertainment.
- 2005Fairy Snapmother
United States
The campaign introduced a tattooed, rocker-styled fairy character intended to combine the brand's snap motif with irreverent humor aimed at young male consumers.
Outcome. Reinforced Slim Jim's deliberately comic and unconventional advertising tone.
- 1997ASA Pro Tour sponsorship
United States
Slim Jim became an early sponsor of the aggressive inline skating ASA Pro Tour, a competition circuit connected with qualification for ESPN's X Games.
Outcome. Extended the brand into action-sports culture and youth-oriented media.
- 1993Macho Man Randy Savage campaign
United States
Randy Savage served as Slim Jim's principal spokesperson in a series of loud, surreal commercials that ended with the brand's signature call to action. The campaign ran prominently through 2000 and also featured other wrestling and music personalities.
Outcome. Raised brand visibility and strengthened appeal among teenage male consumers.
- 1991Snap into a Slim Jim!
United States
Developed by North Castle Partners, the campaign used The Ultimate Warrior in television and radio advertising after an earlier concept involving Sam Kinison could not be used. The platform connected the snack with professional wrestling, high energy and exaggerated physical performance.
Outcome. Established the brand's most enduring advertising line and entertainment association.
Brand decisions
2025
WWE partnership expandedStrategyBackground
Slim Jim had a long-established advertising relationship with professional wrestling and sought to continue using wrestling entertainment as a major cultural association.
Action taken
Slim Jim and WWE announced a multiyear extension including Raw center-ring sponsorship and branding on folding tables across WWE tentpole programming.
Aftermath
The agreement further integrated the brand into WWE's broadcast and live-event presentation.
2009
Production was redistributed after the Garner plant disasterOtherBackground
The June 9 explosion and fire heavily damaged the Garner facility and caused four worker deaths.
Action taken
Conagra reopened the plant after approximately six weeks and arranged supplemental production at other facilities, including one in Troy, Ohio, because Garner's capacity was reduced.
Aftermath
The Garner plant later closed in 2011, ending the site's role as the brand's historic sole production location.
1998
Conagra acquired Goodmark FoodsM&ABackground
Goodmark owned the Slim Jim brand and operated the business that had developed its modern recipe and manufacturing base.
Action taken
Conagra purchased Goodmark Foods and incorporated Slim Jim into its branded food portfolio.
Aftermath
Slim Jim became a Conagra brand and remains under Conagra Brands ownership.
1982
Goodmark executives acquired the companyM&ABackground
General Mills decided to put Goodmark Foods up for sale.
Action taken
Ron Doggett and three other Goodmark executives purchased the company, with Doggett taking the roles of president and chief operating officer.
Aftermath
Goodmark continued as an independently owned company until Conagra acquired it in 1998.
1967
General Mills acquired the Slim Jim companyM&ABackground
The original company was sold by founder Al Levis as the brand moved from an independently developed regional product into a larger packaged-food organization.
Action taken
General Mills acquired the business, moved operations to North Carolina and combined it with Jesse Jones Sausage to form Goodmark Foods.
Aftermath
The transaction created the organizational platform through which Slim Jim later expanded and was eventually sold to Conagra.
Acquisition price. Approximately $20 million (1967)
Recent events
- 2025
Slim Jim and WWE announced a multiyear partnership extension[1]
Campaign
The expanded partnership made Slim Jim the center-ring sponsor of Raw and placed the brand on folding tables across WWE tentpole programming.
- 2012
Slim Jim expands social-media advertising[1]
Campaign
The brand used social-media humor, meme culture and direct engagement with online communities as part of its advertising approach.
- 2011
Garner Slim Jim facility closed[1]
Other
Conagra closed the former Jones Sausage plant in Garner, North Carolina, which had historically been the brand's sole production facility.
- 2009
Explosion and fire at Slim Jim plant killed four workers[1]
Other
An explosion and fire severely damaged Conagra's Garner, North Carolina, production facility and killed four people, including three employees and a subcontractor worker.
- 2009
Conagra reopened the Garner production plant after the 2009 fire[1]
Other
The Garner facility resumed operations approximately six weeks after the explosion, although it operated at substantially reduced capacity and production was supplemented by other facilities.
- 2009
Fire and explosion disrupt Slim Jim production[1]
Other
An explosion and fire at the Garner, North Carolina facility interrupted production and became a major operational event in the brand’s manufacturing history.
- 1998
ConAgra acquires Goodmark Foods[1]
M&A
ConAgra acquired Goodmark Foods and thereby obtained the Slim Jim brand.
- 1982
Management group acquires GoodMark Foods[1]
M&A
General Mills sold GoodMark Foods to a group of company executives including Ron Doggett.
- 1967
General Mills acquires the Slim Jim business[1]
M&A
Adolph Levis sold the business to General Mills, which relocated operations to North Carolina and incorporated them into Goodmark Foods.
Sources2 sources
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