First off, let me say I haven't always been vegan, I know what "real" (meat) jerky tastes like and it's actually something I moderately enjoyed at one point. I certainly could recognize the difference between good and mediocre jerky, and I certainly still can. I've tried a lot of vegan varieties of jerky, and while I a total goblin and will find my way through any but the most truly repulsive foods, I also can say that, of the many, many dried savory attempts at jerky I have had, most (especially the mushroom ones) stand out more for what they fail to achieve than what they succeed in achieving. So far, among far too many entries that mostly range from "just okay" all the way down to "ahem, erm, give me a minute", only two brands stand out as truly successful. It's no surprise that one of these brands is from Texas (also no surprise that the other is from Carolina).Personally, it's obvious these people know how to make jerky. This runs slightly but appropriately dry, it's not overly soft without being borderline brittle or making you wonder if you bought a dog toy instead of a snack. The flavor is solidly there without being overwhelming or having regrettable overtones or aftertaste. It's also not flaky, or overly bready, or committing any other atrocities. More importantly, it's actually good, well seasoned, nicely balanced, and an excellent snack, so long as you don't let your kids eat all of it before you get a piece (but fortunately there's enough in a bag that everyone can probably have a few pieces, or one person can get a very decent portion).In short, it's as good as or better than any fairly commercial jerky I've had, vegan or not.And did I mention the cats were interested? That's how you know it's not bunk. :)