Holiday Beef Stick Fundraiser: Ordering and Delivery Guide

Holiday fundraisers run on a calendar since families are busy, and concerts and games fill December. A short, well-timed sale is easier to run than a long one. Beef sticks suit that setting because the product is simple, the price point is low, and sellers can sell it in person at events people are already attending.

Big Fundraising Ideas has supported school fundraising programs since 1999. This guide covers how the fundraiser works, how to plan for delivery and invoicing, which products to choose, how to manage inventory, and what to check about school food rules. For the full lineup, explore our beef stick fundraiser options.

How a Beef Stick Fundraiser Works

1. Choose Your Product and Flavors: Pick from the Country Meats and Jack Link's lineup, described below.
2. Size Your Order: The minimum is one case. Use the profit calculator on the product page to match your group size and a realistic number per seller.
3. Ask for a Delivery Window: Processing and shipping times vary by product and location, so the team gives you a window based on your zip code.
4. Place Your Order: No upfront payment, and shipping is free on every order.
5. Hand Out and Sell: Sellers sell in person for one to two weeks and turn in the money.
6. Pay Your Invoice: Payment is due within 15 days of receiving the product (Public schools can pay using a purchase order).

Working Backward From the Holidays

Because the invoice is due within 15 days of delivery, a two-week sale leaves very little time to collect and pay. If you plan a two-week sale, have the product arrive just before you start and collect money as you go. A one-week sale leaves more cushion.

See best school fundraiser start times and school fundraising delivery options for more on planning dates.

Choosing Products and Case Sizes

Cases are packaged by individual flavor, so choose your flavors before you order. The variety option mixes four flavors in one case.

See the product pages for sweet BBQ, original smoked hickory, bold teriyaki, sweet annie brown, variety meat sticks, meat snack sticks, and original beef sticks. Stick sizes run from 0.8 oz to 1.0 oz, depending on the product, so choose a size that suits your sellers' buyers. One customer review notes that the sticks they chose were too big for younger students.

Meat Sticks, Not All Beef

• Some Flavors are Pork: The product descriptions call Original Smoked Hickory and Sweet Annie Brown pork snacks.
• Some Products are Blends or described as Meat Sticks: Check each product page for the exact ingredients.
• Allergens and Special Diets: Allergen information varies by brand and flavor, so contact the team before ordering if your group has specific requirements.
• Tell Sellers What They're Selling: A short flavor sheet listing the main ingredients saves buyers questions.

Controlling Inventory and Money

• Use a Sign-out Sheet From Day One: Record each seller's contact information and how many sticks or cases they take.
• Release More Only After Money Comes Back: Don't hand out more product until a seller turns in money from the first round.
• Give Sellers a Labeled Money Envelope: It keeps cash organized and reduces turn-in mistakes.
• Keep Adults in Charge of the Cash: See collecting fundraising money promptly.
• Set a Turn-in date: within your invoice period, so you have the money in hand before payment is due.

Where and How to Sell During the Holidays

• Go Where People Already Gather: Winter sports games, holiday concerts and events, practices, field days, and after-school activities.
• Use Pickup and Drop-off Times: Parents are present and often looking for a quick snack.
• Have Sellers Approach People They Know: This tends to convert best.
• Set Daily Goals: Breaking a one-week sale into daily targets makes the total feel manageable.
• Share Your Group's Story: The N.O.W. selling method works well: name, organization, and why you are raising money, in three sentences.
• Avoid Overlapping With Another Group's Snack Sale: Competing sales at the same school split the same buyers.
• Thank Every Buyer: It builds goodwill for the next event.

Delivery, Storage, and Leftovers

• Delivery: Product ships free and arrives at your school or organization. Ask for a delivery window for your zip code. See school fundraiser delivery tips.
• Storage: Keep cases in a dry, secure room. Shelf life is typically about 12 months from production, but confirm the product's shelf life with the team.
• Leftovers: Contact the team if you have unsold products. Options include a final selling push, donating to a local organization, or storing it for a future event.

School Food Rules

• In-person Sales at School: Selling food to students on campus during the school day may fall under school nutrition standards.
• Take-home Exceptions: Federal guidance includes an exception for preordered items distributed in bulk for home consumption, which may not apply to an in-person sale.
• Selling Outside School Hours: Events, games, and community sales may be treated differently. Ask your principal or district office.

See school food fundraiser rules for the broader picture.

Pairing Beef Sticks With Other Holiday Fundraisers

Logistics are similar to a candy bar fundraiser, so groups often choose one or run both to appeal to different buyers. For more holiday options, see school fundraising holiday products and holiday vanilla popcorn. For a fast, no-product option to run alongside a sale, see a scratch card fundraiser.

Frequently Asked Questions About Holiday Beef Stick Fundraisers

How do you run a holiday beef stick fundraiser?

Choose your product, use the profit calculator to size your order, and ask the team for a delivery window based on your zip code. Have the product arrive shortly before your sale, let sellers sell in person for one to two weeks, collect the money, and pay your invoice within 15 days of receiving the product.

Can school fundraisers preorder beef sticks for holiday delivery?

Beef stick fundraisers are direct-sale programs, so supporters do not preorder. Your group orders cases ahead of its sale, sellers sell the sticks in person, and money is collected on the spot. To get product in time for the holidays, place your order early enough to meet the team's delivery window.

When is payment due for a beef stick fundraiser?

Public schools don't require payment upfront. Payment is due within 15 days of receiving your product, so plan your sale and money turn-in to fit within that period.

How long should a holiday beef stick fundraiser last?

Most run for one week, sometimes two. The campaign ends when inventory sells out, so set a firm end date to maintain urgency. Keep the 15-day invoice period in mind when you choose the length.

How soon will we receive our order?

Processing and shipping times vary by product and location. Contact the team when you are ready to order and ask for a delivery window based on your ZIP code and the product you choose; then plan your launch date around it.

How many cases do we need?

The minimum is one case. Use the profit calculator to size your order based on your group size and a realistic number per seller. Ordering a little conservatively is safer, since reorders are available and additional cases ship at no extra shipping cost.

Can supporters order beef sticks online?

Beef sticks are designed as in-person, direct-sale programs, so they don't have an online store. Big Fundraising Ideas offers online fundraising for other product categories if you want a virtual option.

What if we have leftover beef sticks?

Contact the team. Because the sticks have a long shelf life, leftover product does not have to be discarded right away. Options include a final selling push, donating to a local organization, or storing it for a future event.

Are the sticks all beef?

Not always. Some flavors are described as pork snacks, and at least one line is a meat snack stick, not a straight beef stick. Check the label on each product page and tell families which flavors contain pork.

Do school nutrition rules apply to a beef stick fundraiser?

They can. Selling food to students on campus during the school day may fall under school nutrition standards, and rules vary by district and state. Federal guidance exempts preordered take-home items, which may not apply to an in-person sale, so confirm with your principal before you launch.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.