A Dallas-area company is making waves in the vegan food space: Called All Y'alls Foods, they're famous for their line of plant-based jerky, sold in grocery stores and outlets such as H-E-B, Cox Farms, Lucky Mouth Grocery, Mashup Market, and Nature's Plate.

All Y'alls Foods was founded in Cross Roads, in Denton County, in 2018 by Brett Christoffel, who went from avid carnivore to vegan late in life.

"I learned that beef is Texas' second largest export after cotton, and loving cows as much as I love all animals, this upset me deeply," he said in 2021. "So I decided to do something about it and created All Y'alls Foods."

They have three flavors of jerky:

• Black Pepper & Sea Salt, the traditional
• Prickly Pear Teriyaki, with a hint of ginger
• Prickly Pear Chipotle, heat and sweet

Each flavor represents a different region in the state: Black pepper and sea salt is inspired by the Texas Gulf coast. Prickly pear teriyaki represents the prairies and lakes, and prickly pear chipotle, which a little sweet and a little heat, represents the South Texas plains. A 2.69-ounce package is $7, but you can also get them in 6-packs for $41.94.

In 2020, they launched their plant-based bacon bits, called It's Bacony Bits Y’'all — crunchy oversized bacon pieces made from whole non-GMO soy beans and seasoned with tamari, apple cider vinegar, and a mixture of spices - and those have surged to become their bestseller.

Christoffel says the plant-based jerky market is growing, as is the better-for-you snacks, plant-based proteins, and gluten free foods.

"July was our best month this year, and next month we're expanding into convenience stores," he says. "I have never been more excited or had more confirmation in the growth of the plant-based space and All Y'alls products than I have now."

While snacking is the most common option, the jerky can be added to different types of recipes, such as a topping on pizza.

The jerkies are made from non-GMO soybeans; soy has gotten an unfair bad rap after a campaign by the dairy industry.

"We make our snacks from whole non-GMO soybeans and not its isolates," he says. "There are many rumors about soy, like that it contains estrogen, which is false and has been debunked repeatedly. The reality is that soy beans have tons of fantastic benefits. Whole, non-GMO soybeans are a high-quality, complete plant protein, containing all nine amino acids needed for the body to optimize its intake."

The company donates a portion of all of its sales to support Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, a one-time cattle operation east of San Antonio that vegan activist Renee King Sonnen and her ex-cattler rancher husband Tommy Sonnen transformed into a farmed animal sanctuary. Through their Rancher Advocacy Program, the couple also helps other animal farmers transition to plant-based agriculture.