Custom Jerky Bags for Meat and Plant Snacks

Sizing Jerky Bags by Weight

Jerky is light for its volume, so a 50 g pack takes up more room than you might expect. Thick-cut beef and biltong slices need a wider bag than thin teriyaki strips, and mushroom or soy jerky tends to be bulkier again. The simplest way to size the pouch is to fill a sample bag by hand with your target weight, then measure the width and the filled height.

Leave room above the product for the zip and the heat seal, plus a few millimetres so the zip can close without catching on a strip. If you are unsure, send us a pack you already use or tell us the weight and cut, and we will suggest a size. For larger sharing packs, quad seal pouches with flat bases stand squarer and hold more weight.

Films, Windows and Zips

Metallised and foil laminates give the strongest barrier and a bold finish. Kraft-look outer layers are popular with craft and farm-shop brands, while a clear window lets shoppers see the marbling and texture of the meat. A window does reduce the barrier slightly, so we usually keep it modest in size and combine it with an inner barrier layer.

A press-to-close zip is close to essential for jerky, because most people do not finish a bag in one go. Tear notches above the zip make the first opening clean. If you sell spicy and mild ranges side by side, matching bags in different colours help shoppers find their favourite flavour quickly. Snack makers with a wider range can compare these films with our printed custom snack bags.

• Matte, gloss or soft-touch outer film
• Clear or frosted window panels
• Press-to-close zip with tear notch
• Rounded corners for a neater feel in the hand

Printing Custom Jerky Bags That Sell

Jerky shoppers tend to read the back of the pack: protein per serving, ingredients, allergens and the cut of meat. Leave room on the back panel for that information and keep the front panel for the flavour name, the brand and one strong visual. Bold type in a high-contrast colour reads well from across the aisle.

Digital printing works well for brands with lots of flavours in smaller runs, because each design can be printed without separate plates. Larger runs of a single flavour can move to plate printing for a lower unit price. Either way we send a free proof first, showing your artwork on the bag dieline with seal areas marked, so nothing important sits in a seal.

Do check your label wording against current food labelling rules before you approve the proof. We print exactly what you send, so the nutrition table, best-before area and allergen highlights must be right in your file.

Filling, Sealing and Storing Your Bags

Most small jerky makers fill bags by hand and close them on a band or impulse heat sealer. Seal just above the zip, on the strip of film we leave clear for that purpose, and test a few bags from the first carton on your own sealer before running a full batch. Different machines like slightly different temperatures, and a quick test avoids weak seals that open in transit.

Brands using a filling line should send us the machine specification, as some lines need a particular film thickness, a set distance between the zip and the top seal, or a straight edge for gripping. We can match those details on the dieline before the proof stage.

Store empty bags flat, away from direct sunlight and heat, in their outer cartons until they are needed. Film that sits next to a radiator can curl or pick up dust on the sealing layer, which makes sealing harder. Keeping a rolling stock of a few weeks' worth is usually enough for a growing brand. Jerky sits within our snack, cereal and popcorn packaging range, where you will find bags and boxes for other lines.

From Quote to Delivery

Tell us the bag style, size or pack weight, the number of flavours and the quantity of each. You will have a custom quote by email within one working day, with prices from £0.25 per bag depending on size, film and quantity. Minimums are low and set per job, which suits brands testing a new flavour.

After you approve the proof, production takes 4 to 7 working days, followed by free tracked delivery across the UK mainland in 2 to 3 working days. Any bags that arrive misprinted or damaged can be reported within 10 days for a reprint or refund. Food-contact grade films are available on request, and we can share the film details with your quality lead.