Kraft Heinz enters plant-based meats with Oscar Mayer hotdogs and sausages

Kraft Heinz is launching plant-based Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs and Sausages as part of its joint venture with NotCo— the first alternative meat innovation from the joint venture since its inception two years ago.

The Oscar Mayer NotHotDogs and NotSausages — available in both Bratwurst and Italian flavors — offer the savory and smoky experience associated with the Oscar Mayer brand, the food companies said. But unlike the meat varieties, the new products incorporate plant-based ingredients such as bamboo fiber, mushroom, pea protein and acerola cherry.

The Oscar Mayer NotHotDogs and NotSausages are the fourth innovation to launch since the joint venture was introduced in 2022. Previously, the partnership debuted plant-based versions of sliced cheese, mayonnaise and, in November, Kraft Mac & Cheese.

In rolling out plant-based sausages and hotdogs, The Kraft Heinz Not Company is entering a food sector that has fallen on hard times.

But amid the struggles, Kraft Heinz and the Not Company see an opportunity.

The food manufacturers, citing data from AMC Global, said hotdogs and sausages remain “underdeveloped and under-consumed within the broader plant-based meat category, largely due to disappointment in existing offerings’ taste and texture.” The plant-based sector as a whole also has been impacted by inflation, which has forced some consumers to shift their spending away from the pricier category.

Customers who participated in testing the Oscar Mayer plant-based items were asked before and after they sampled it about the likelihood of them purchasing it. The purchase intent increased, he said, after they tasted it to an “extremely high” level.

The plant-based Oscar Mayer hotdogs and sausages have a similar look and packaging as Kraft Heinz’s traditional meat varieties. However, instead of only displaying Oscar Mayer in the center of the packaging, it also includes the words “plant based” and “NotHotDog” or “NotSausage.” The innovations will debut at Expo West on March 12 before rolling out to major retailers nationwide later this year.

Food Dive