Hi-Country Snack Foods pauses production

Hi-Country Snack Foods, a nearly 50-year-old Montana jerky maker and one of the largest employers in the small mountain community of Lincoln, has paused production — a development that raises new concerns about the company’s future and the economic health of the town it has long anchored.

The production halt comes less than a year after the company laid off dozens of workers, a round of cuts that had already sent ripples through Lincoln’s close-knit community. At its peak most recently, Hi-Country employed more than 50 people, making it a cornerstone of the local economy in a rural area with limited employment options.

Founded nearly five decades ago, Hi-Country built a regional and national reputation for its jerky and snack meat products, becoming one of the more recognizable Montana-made food brands on store shelves across the West. The company’s longevity had made it something of an institution in Lincoln, a town of roughly 1,000 residents nestled in the Rocky Mountain foothills of Lewis and Clark County.

No timeline for resuming operations has been announced, and the company has not publicly addressed the reason for the pause. It is unclear how many workers, if any, remain employed during the stoppage.

By DNU staff