- Kraft Heinz Not Company, a joint venture between The Kraft Heinz Company and plant-based food marketer TheNotCompany, are getting ready for grilling season with two new plant-based products under the Oscar Mayer brand.
- The two new products, NotHotDogs and NotSausages, are designed to appeal to consumers’ growing appetite for plant-based offerings. The U.S. plant-based food market is projected to reach $19 billion in sales by 2030.
- The two new products are the joint venture’s first foray into the plant-based meat category. Previous Kraft Heinz Not Company products have included plant-based Mac&Cheese, NotCheese Slices and NotMayo.
Plant-based foods are clearly no longer a niche market, at least not when a brand so well-known for its lunchmeat, hot dogs and bacon enters the category.
“This launch marks a pivotal moment for the [Kraft Heinz/Not Company] joint venture and underscores the value it brings to the market,”said Danielle Watts, associate director, marketing at The Kraft Heinz Not Company. “We know fans have been waiting for plant-based versions of our Oscar Mayer products since we first announced the joint venture in 2022. Since then, our cross-functional teams have been hard at work on developing recipes to unlock the smoky and savory experience consumers know, love, and expect from Oscar Mayer.”
The NotHotDogs and NotSausages are the first meat-alternative products from the joint venture. Previous plant-based products were in the dairy category. The meat alternative took longer due to higher consumer expectations, Watts said.
“Consumer desire for delicious and accessible plant-based alternatives only continues to grow, and this is the foundation on which The Kraft Heinz Not Company was built,” Watts said. “At the same time, plant-based hot dogs and dinner sausage links remain underdeveloped and under-consumed, largely due to consumers being disappointed in the taste and texture of existing offerings.”
The product, which will roll out into stores nationwide later this year, will prominently feature the Oscar Mayer branding and signature yellow and red colors. The brand will largely rely on earned media for attention during the launch period, Watts said.
