“The influence of accessible pricing and easier prep make the hot dogs and sausages category a good entry point for young adults as they transition into independent meal and snack responsibilities and beyond. Yet brands must reinvigorate notions of applications, occasions and even tastes to stay relevant.”
– Mimi Bonnett, Senior Director – US Food and Drink
This Report looks at the following areas:
- Market size, segmentation and major drivers shaping the category
- Brand performance by segment, competitive strategies and opportunities
- Purchase by protein type and format
- Hot dog and sausage occasions
- Perceptions of global options
- Interest in hot dog/sausage features
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Hot dog and sausage attitudes and behaviors
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Consumer trends
- Younger adults with diverse palates are protein “hopping”
- Figure 1: Protein type in hot dog/sausage purchase, by age, 2023
- Natural protein, variety and value are category’s best assets
- Figure 2: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, 2023
- Competitive strategies
- Brands buck against “seasonality” with any time, any place messages
- Figure 3: Everyday, any time positioning for hot dogs and sausages
- Brands put global stamps in their passports
- Market predictions
- Category slows back to pre-pandemic patterns
- Figure 4: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 5: Category outlook, 2023-28
- Opportunities
- Break from traditional applications
- Figure 6: Correspondence analysis – Symmetrical map – Hot dog/sausage occasions, 2023
- Real protein blends meet in the middle to reach all ages
- Figure 7: Hot dog and sausage interest, by age, 2023
- Flavor and variety exploration is still a white space
- Figure 8: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, by age, 2023
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Market Size and Forecast
- Category performance levels out at $11.8 billion
- Figure 9: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2017-27
- Category performance levels out at $11.8 billion
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Segment Performance
- Segments settle back into slowed growth
- Figure 11: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, by segment, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 12: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, by segment, at current prices, 2017-27
- Strong growth among other retailers demonstrates quest for value
- Figure 13: Total US retail sales of hot dogs and sausages, by channel, at current prices, 2017-22
- Segments settle back into slowed growth
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Market Drivers
- Easing prices still impacting product choice…
- Figure 14: Forecast changes in Consumer Price Indexes for food and meats, 2022-23
- …yet affordable reputation could bode well for hot dogs and sausages
- Figure 15: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, by financial situation, 2023
- Meat alternatives having marginal impact on hot dogs/sausages
- Figure 16: Protein types of hot dogs and sausages purchased, 2023
- Easing prices still impacting product choice…
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Market Share/Key Players
- Tyson corners the leaderboard across segments
- Sales of hot dogs/sausages by company
- Figure 17: US multi-outlet sales of hot dogs and sausages, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Hot dog segment leading brands leverage the value of nostalgia
- Figure 18: US multi-outlet sales of hot dogs, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Sausage, it’s what’s for dinner
- Figure 19: US multi-outlet sales of dinner sausages, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Jimmy Dean widens the gap despite strong competitors
- Figure 20: US multi-outlet sales of breakfast sausages, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Everyday, any time applications disrupt seasonal mentality
- Figure 21: Hot dog/sausage consumption, by age, 2023
- Figure 22: Everyday, any time positioning for hot dogs and sausages
- Instagrammable moments turn young audiences into brand ambassadors, influencers and loyalists
- Figure 23: social media examples
- Take innovation global and DIY
- Figure 24: Flavor and added ingredient innovation examples
- Everyday, any time applications disrupt seasonal mentality
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The Hot Dog and Sausage Consumer – Fast Facts
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Protein Type in Hot Dog/Sausage Purchase
- Beef far exceeds other proteins in hot dog/sausage purchase
- Figure 25: Protein type in hot dog/sausage purchase, 2023
- Under 55s are leading the movement to protein “hopping”
- Figure 26: Protein type in hot dog/sausage purchase, by age, 2023
- Parents tackle meal- and snack-time with variety
- Figure 27: Protein type in hot dog/sausage purchase, by parental status, 2023
- Beef far exceeds other proteins in hot dog/sausage purchase
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Sausage Format Purchased
- Convenience trumps cooking
- Figure 28: Sausage type purchased, 2023
- TikTok and Instagram your way into contemporary habits
- Figure 29: Sausage type purchased, by age, 2023
- Convenience trumps cooking
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Hot Dog/Sausage Occasions
- Conventional applications are due for a shake-up
- Figure 30: Correspondence analysis – Symmetrical map – Hot dog/sausage occasions, 2023
- Figure 31: Hot dog/sausage occasions, 2023
- Conventional applications are due for a shake-up
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Hot Dog/Sausage Behaviors
- Invoke quality cues, creative applications to keep the momentum
- Figure 32: Hot dog/sausage behaviors, 2023
- 18-34 year olds flex their discovery process with specialty products
- Figure 33: Hot dog/sausage behaviors, by age, 2023
- Parents balance variety and value
- Figure 34: Hot dog/sausage behaviors, by parental status, 2023
- Invoke quality cues, creative applications to keep the momentum
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Perceptions of Global Sausage Types
- Convenience transcends sausage “borders,” putting inspiration in the hands of brands
- Figure 35: Associations with sausage types, 2023
- Convenience transcends sausage “borders,” putting inspiration in the hands of brands
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Interest in Hot Dog and Sausage Features
- Consumers seek clean quality that offsets stigma of processed
- Figure 36: Hot dog and sausage interest, 2023
- Meet in the middle with natural protein to reach all ages
- Figure 37: Hot dog and sausage interest, by age , 2023
- Consumers seek clean quality that offsets stigma of processed
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Hot Dog and Sausage Attitudes
- Brands: leverage your best asset, diverse proteins
- Figure 38: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, 2023
- Flavor and variety exploration is a touchstone for under 55s
- Figure 39: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, by age, 2023
- Brands: leverage your best asset, diverse proteins
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 40: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 41: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 42: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, by segment, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 43: Total US retail sales of hot dogs and sausages, by segment, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
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- Figure 44: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 45: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 46: Annual percent changes in multi-outlet sales of hot dogs, by value and volume, 2018-22
- Figure 47: Total US retail sales and forecast of dinner sausage, at current prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 48: Total US retail sales and forecast of dinner sausage, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 49: Annual percent changes in multi-outlet sales of dinner sausage, by value and volume, 2018-22
- Figure 50: Total US retail sales and forecast of breakfast sausage, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 51: Total US retail sales and forecast of breakfast sausage, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 52: Annual percent changes in multi-outlet sales of breakfast sausage, by value and volume, 2018-22
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Appendix – Companies and Brands
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- Figure 53: US multi-outlet sales of hot dogs and sausages, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Figure 54: US multi-outlet sales of hot dogs, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
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- Figure 55: US multi-outlet sales of dinner sausages, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
- Figure 56: US multi-outlet sales of breakfast sausages, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2022 and 2023
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 57: Average annual household spending on hot dogs and sausages, 2017-22
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Appendix – Retail Channels
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- Figure 58: Total US retail sales of hot dogs and sausages, by channel, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 59: Total US retail sales of hot dogs and sausages, by channel, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
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- Figure 60: US supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 61: US sales of hot dogs and sausages through other retail channels, at current prices, 2017-22
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Appendix – TURF Analysis – Methodology
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- Figure 62: Correspondence analysis – Symmetrical map – Hot dog/sausage use, 2023
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- Figure 63: Correspondence analysis – Principal map – Hot dog/sausage use, 2023
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- Figure 64: Hot dog/sausage use, 2023
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