Oscar Mayer Finally Launches Its First Plant-Based Meat Products

In a major step for the plant-based meat market, Oscar Mayer is releasing its first vegan products, NotHotDogs, and NotSausages, in a partnership between Kraft Heinz and NotCo.

The meat producer is famous for its hot dogs, a centerpiece at summer cookouts and backyard barbecues, and now plant-based eaters no longer have to miss out on enjoying the classic Oscar Mayer hot dog — or, NotHotDog.

Danielle Watts, Associate Director, Marketing at The Kraft Heinz Not Company tells Green Matters exclusively: "Bringing great taste and quality to the growing community of plant-based enthusiasts, we're excited to offer the smoke and savory experience Oscar Mayer fans know and love, as we continue to find new ways to deliver offerings that don't ask consumers to compromise on the foods they love."

Read on to learn all about Oscar Mayer's two vegan meat products, which, as Lucho Lopez-May, CEO of The Kraft Heinz Not Company noted, were developed using "NotCo’s revolutionary AI technology and the power, equity, and legacy of the Oscar Mayer brand."

Oscar Mayer’s NotSausages will be available in two flavors, Italian and Bratwurst, and are made to mimic the smoked and savory flavor of the company's original meat sausage. These sausage links are just the beginning of a growing plant-based meat market, one where Oscar Mayer sees an opportunity to fill the gaps.

"Plant-based hot dogs and dinner sausage links remain underdeveloped and under-consumed within the broader plant-based meat category, largely due to disappointment in existing offerings’ taste and texture," The Kraft Heinz Not Company wrote in a press release shared with Green Matters ahead of the launch.

The Oscar Mayer vegan hot dog, the NotHotDog, marks the first of its kind for the Oscar Mayer brand, which has been selling hot dogs since 1883, per the University of Chicago Library. The NotHotDogs promise not to compromise on meaty flavor or texture, and are perfect for grilling, according to press release.

Oscar Mayer remains one of the most recognizable brands in the U.S., for hot dogs, and the second most-eaten hot dog in the country, according to Statista. The launch of a plant-based hot dog option from a market leader like Oscar Mayer marks an influential innovation in the plant-based meat industry, and a future where plant-based alternatives could be just as accessible as their meat counterparts.

What’s more, the company made clear that this was just the beginning of its plant-based product plans, stating: “Further, the launch marks another exciting step in the joint venture’s continued expansion of its plant-based portfolio, which includes KRAFT NotMac&Cheese, KRAFT NotCheese Slices, and NotMayo.”

The NotHotDogs and NotSausages will make their debut at Expo West in California. The products can be found at booth #N1732, from March 12-16 2024. Consumers can expect to see the products on store shelves later in 2024.

So, make sure to be on the lookout for the new summer cookout staples!