Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. placed in the top 2 of six out of seven independent sources we analyzed, a consistency no other brand matched. The 2025 VegNews Veggie Awards (consumer-voted, 156 categories) gave Louisville the Best Jerky crown. Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, tasting blind on Good Mythical Morning, ranked the Smokey Carolina BBQ #1 of six brands, with Rhett exclaiming 'this has got a lot of flavor. WOW.' Tasting Table's Sara Klimek placed it #2 of 13 brands. Happy Happy Vegan and The Vegan Skillet both ranked it first in their roundups.
The flavor range is what separates Louisville from the field. While most brands offer standard BBQ and teriyaki, Louisville produces Cheddar Jalapeno Popper, Orange Chicken, Pepperoni Pizza, and Buffalo Dill. Each bag is handmade in small batches in Louisville, KY, using non-GMO soy and gluten-free tamari, with 21g protein per bag and no artificial additives.
The texture is deliberate: softer and moister than traditional jerky, closer to pulled pork than dried meat. Sporked's Justine Sterling described it as 'pulled pork-esque,' and that's the tradeoff. You're getting a jerky that prioritizes flavor and chew over tough leathery resistance. For the majority of buyers, especially those who didn't love beef jerky's jawbreaker texture to begin with, that's a feature.
What It Won't Do
At $8.69 for 3 oz, Louisville is the second-priciest option behind Pan's Mushroom Jerky. Primal Spirit delivers comparable smoky flavors at $1-2 per strip. The soft texture also polarizes: Make It Dairy Free found it 'softer than expected with more moisture than anticipated,' and Tasting Table flagged inconsistent piece sizing. If you want jerky that fights back when you chew, Noble Jerky is a better fit.
Primal Spirit appears in all seven sources we consulted, the only brand to achieve that. VegNews readers voted it 3rd Best Jerky. Sporked's Justine Sterling scored the Hickory Smoked flavor 8.5/10, praising a 'convincingly meaty texture' and noting the 'hickory smoked flavor lasts and lasts and fools your brain into thinking you're tasting meat.'
The price makes the recommendation easy. At $1-2 per single-serve strip, Primal Spirit costs roughly 75% less than Louisville per serving. The Vegan Skillet confirmed availability in convenience stores nationwide, which no other vegan jerky brand can claim. You can grab one at a gas station on a road trip for the price of a candy bar.
The soy-and-seitan base gives it 10g of protein per strip with a chewy, stringy texture. Rhett & Link noted the chewiness 'in a good way.' PETA voted it Best New Vegan Snack. For someone curious about vegan jerky but unwilling to risk $9 on a bag they might not like, Primal Spirit eliminates the financial barrier entirely.
What It Won't Do
Rhett & Link ranked Primal Spirit last in their blind test, noting 'it smells not so great' for the Texas Barbecue variant. The flavor quality varies across their range: Hickory Smoked earned 8.5/10 from Sporked, but Thai Peanut dropped to 6.5/10 for being 'pretty mild.' The single-serve strip format also means more individual wrappers per gram of jerky compared to bag formats. And the seitan (wheat gluten) content rules it out for celiac or gluten-sensitive buyers.
Who Should Buy Which
Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. Smokey Carolina BBQ
Small-batch, bold-flavored soy jerky from a family-run operation
- You care about creative, restaurant-quality flavors beyond standard BBQ and teriyaki
- You want 21g protein per bag from a clean ingredient list with no artificial additives
- You're buying jerky as a premium snack or gift, not an everyday gas-station grab
- You prefer softer, moister jerky texture over tough leather-style chew
- Supporting small-batch, family-run production matters to your purchasing decisions
Primal Spirit Hickory Smoked Vegan Jerky
Convenience-store-priced strips with convincingly meaty texture
- You want to try vegan jerky without risking $9 on a bag you might not like
- You need grab-and-go snacks from convenience stores and gas stations, not specialty retailers
- Budget matters and you buy jerky frequently for road trips, gym bags, or lunchboxes
- You prefer the meaty, chewy texture of traditional jerky over softer pulled-pork styles
- You don't have celiac disease or wheat sensitivity (seitan is a key ingredient)