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US brand Oscar Mayer has announced the release of its first ever plant-based hot dogs and sausages.
The 141-year-old Chicago-based company, which is famous for its processed pig meat products, will be bringing the NotHotDogs and NotSausages to Expo West next week, before rolling them out to grocery stores nationwide later this year. They will be available in Bratwurst and Italian sausage flavors.
Oscar Mayer is owned by parent company Kraft Heinz, which last year announced the establishment The Kraft Heinz Not Company (in collaboration with Chilean plant-based food brand The Not Company).
“At The Kraft Heinz Not Company, our goal is to create mouthwatering, plant-based foods that are delicious and accessible for everyone – from the devoted vegan to the plant-based curious,” Lucho Lopez-May, CEO of The Kraft Heinz Not Company, said in a statement. “We know people are hungry for plant-based meat options from brands they know and trust. In launching the joint venture’s first product in the plant-based meat category, we saw an opportunity to satisfy these consumer cravings, leveraging NotCo’s revolutionary AI technology and the power, equity, and legacy of the Oscar Mayer brand.”
Kraft Heinz Not Company
The Kraft Heinz Not Company specializes in realistic vegan alternatives, including dairy-free cheese and mac and cheese. It uses AI technology – which it calls “The Giuseppe Platform” – to create its plant-based products. This uses machine learning and data to create the flavors, textures, and functionalities of the products.
Despite some highly publicized setbacks in the sector, the plant-based meat market remains strong. It’s predicted to reach USD $15.7 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.7 percent.
The Kraft Heinz Not Company claims, however, that the plant-based hotdog category remains “underdeveloped and underconsumed,” due to disappointments with taste and flavor. The company says that this new launch replicates the “smoky, savory taste, meaty color, and thick, juicy bite” of traditional hot dogs.
