Jim’s Jerky launches two new brands on the eve of international export journey

JIM Tanner is currently enjoying his first holiday in more than 19 years.

Since creating the locally beloved Jim’s Jerky brand, Mr Tanner – together with his team including wife Cathie – has worked tirelessly to build the delicious, dried meat product into a national icon.

And now – with the company the only manufacturer in the country with full export accreditation and the product already available in Japan and set to launch into Vietnam – the Jim’s Jerky family has welcomed on board the additional brands of Grazers premium natural smallgoods and Jimmie’s Beef Bites for kids.

Perfect time for a very long overdue get-away for Mr Tanner and his wife.

The Tanners’ daughter Emily Pullen joined the business as CEO six years ago, so they are leaving it in safe hands.

“Emily is leading a transformation of the business, taking forward the best parts of our 20-year history and bringing in new skills and ways of thinking,” Jim’s Jerky Director of Strategy and Commercial Kate Morrison says.

“The company is recognising that different audiences have different needs, and we are meeting those different consumer needs while staying true to what matters to us – family values, a quality product, and remaining close to the source of the beef that we use.

“Grazers is our unashamedly premium brand for healthy entertaining at home, while Jimmie’s is focused on healthy snacks for kids.”

Grazers and Jimmie’s will both be launched next week at the Fine Food event in Melbourne, with social media sensation and author George Georgievski set to speak on behalf of the company at one of the event’s presentations on the Australian Culinary Stage.

Mr Georgievski is known as the “School Lunch Box Dad”, has a social media following of 500,000 and is a Jamie Oliver Healthy Lunchbox Ambassador. As a sidenote, his daughter Kiki is a massive fan of the Jimmie’s product.

“Jim’s Jerky has really stepped up onto the global stage now after such a humble beginning in Toowoomba,” Ms Morrison says.

“Just last week we received five medals across the three brands from the Sydney Royal Fine Food Awards for 2022, including a silver medal for Jim’s Jerky Chilli Beek Jerky.

“We really are punching above our weight.”

The Jim’s Jerky story is a warm-the-cockles one; one which when added to the deliciousness of the product itself, has helped win the hearts of consumers far and wide.

Jim Tanner, an ex-grazier, decided to open a butcher shop in Toowoomba after spending several decades raising cattle on his own family farm.

One of the butchers in his new business made a tasty biltong, and Mr Tanner fell in love with the dried meat creation.

So he made his own, developed a loyal following locally, and opened a shop in Charlton which is still there today.

“It’s an iconic shop on the Warrego Highway, with an absolutely incredible 15-strong team, and is kind of cheeky while remaining true to our roots,” Ms Morrison says.

“It is very popular with people doing long trips, and truckies will often stop in to buy one-kilo packs of the jerky, but the demographic is changing. We now have more women purchasing our products, and they are choosing items that are healthy, obviously high in protein and low in fat for their kids.

“It’s a new phase of the Jim’s Jerky evolution. We are now outgrowing the manufacturing facility at Charlton, and will have to move the factory, but we will always keep the shop.

“This success is a testament to Jim and Cathie’s incredible business skills and their hard work. They have always remained true to themselves and it’s these values we’re taking forward to create a modern, globally successful beef snack business.”