Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Pricing, health issues, and seasonality chip away at category
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- Figure 1: Total US retail sales of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2013-17
- Health perception needs improvement
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- Figure 2: Reasons why consumers don’t purchase hot dogs and sausages, health issues, July 2017
- The opportunities
- Category penetration high in spite of drop in sales
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- Figure 3: Hot dog and sausage purchase, July 2017
- Ease and adaptability leads to use across dayparts and occasions
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- Figure 4: Hot dog and sausage occasions, July 2017
- BFY versions
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- Figure 5: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, claims and poultry sentiment, July 2017
- Premium offerings
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- Figure 6: Hot dog and sausage innovation, July 2017
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Category hurting now, but expected to get back to growth soon
- Affordability across meats may shift consumer spending
- Interest in snacking, protein heavy foods intensifies the competition
Market Size and Forecast
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- Category projected to rebound after recent decline
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
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- Sausage segments steal share from hot dogs
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- Figure 9: Total US market share of hot dogs and sausages, by segment, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, by segment, at current prices, 2012-22
- Supermarkets dominate purchase location
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- Figure 11: Total US market share of hot dogs and sausages, by channel, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
Market Perspective
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- Price drops hurt dollar sales of red meat
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- Figure 12: Changes in consumer food price indexes, 2013-18
- Studies link red and processed meat to cancer
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- Figure 13: Total US retail sales of packaged red meat and hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2013-16
- Abundant animal protein options
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- Figure 14: Total US retail sales of packaged red meat, poultry, and fish and shellfish, by segments, at current prices, 2014-16
- Meat alternatives are a popular protein substitute
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- Figure 15: Consumption, by meat alternatives, October 2016
Market Factors
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- Interest in grilling benefits category
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- Figure 16: Grilling frequency, April 2017
- Hot breakfast occasion getting competitive
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- Figure 17: Reasons for consumption, by convenience and quick to prepare, May 2017
- Popularity of snacking can beef up category
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- Figure 18: Snack attributes by occasion, by any snacking, by between meals and in place of a meal, March 2017
- Young adults approaching, entering parenthood
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- Figure 19: Households with own children under age 18, by age of householder, 2016
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Category issues hamper small and large companies alike
- Category struggles to shake bad health rap
- Convenience, versatility remain important competitive advantages
- Premium ingredients, flavors may heat up category
- Alternative bases
Company and Brand Sales of Hot Dogs and Sausages
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- Category struggles brand wide
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- Figure 20: MULO sales of hot dogs and sausages, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Top three hot dog brands make up over half of segment share
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- Figure 21: TV Ad – “Ball Park Franks – Pass It Down” – Ball Park
- Figure 22: MULO market share of hot dogs, by leading brands, 52-weeks ending July 9, 2017
- Johnsonville, Hillshire Farm lead in sausage sales
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- Figure 23: TV Ad – “Guess the Price of That Food By Cole” – Johnsonville
- Figure 24: MULO market share of hot dogs, by leading brands, 52-weeks ending July 9, 2017
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- Figure 25: MULO sales of dinner sausage, by top growing brands, Aidells, Smithfield, and Premio, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Jimmy Dean remains the king of breakfast sausage
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- Figure 26: MULO market share of breakfast sausages, by leading brands, 52-weeks ending July 9, 2017
- Figure 27: MULO sales of breakfast sausage, by top growing brands, by Smithfield, Applegate, and Swaggerty, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Working?
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- Brands emphasize natural positioning through claims
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- Figure 28: Hot dog and sausage launches, by no additives/preservatives, 2014-17*
- Success in natural channels a bright spot
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- Figure 29: Natural supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks 8/16/15-8/13/17
- Easy preparation, flexibility among category’s strengths
- Consumers prefer name brand hot dogs and sausages
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- Figure 30: Purchase intent, by name brand and store brand hot dogs and sausages, January 2016 – August 2017
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- Figure 31: Launches of name brand hot dogs and sausages, by high purchase intent, January 2016 – August 2017
- Preference for poultry
What’s Struggling?
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- Category carries long-term stigma
What’s Next?
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- Clean labeling, clean packaging
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- Figure 32: Hot dog and sausage launches, by free-from claims, 2014-17*
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- Figure 33: TV Advertisement – “Big Changes – For the Love of Hot Dogs” – Oscar Mayer
- Premium, craft products
- Meatless options
- All the meat, no harm to animals
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Nearly three quarters of consumers purchase hot dogs or sausages
- Taste, versatility, affordability, and social element appeal
- Negative health perceptions nearly equal among users and non-users
- Premium and free-from eases guilt
Hot Dog and Sausage Purchase
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- Majority of consumers purchase hot dogs or sausage
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- Figure 34: Hot dog and sausage purchase, July 2017
- Versatility, convenience draw men to category
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- Figure 35: Hot dog and sausage purchase, by gender, July 2017
- Millennials are core hot dog and sausage buyers
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- Figure 36: Hot dog and sausage purchase, by age, July 2017
- Parents purchase across product types
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- Figure 37: Hot dog and sausage purchase, by parental status, July 2017
- Meat type preference differs among races, origins
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- Figure 38: Hot dog and sausage purchase, meat type, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2017
Sausage Format Purchase
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- Links are most purchased sausage format
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- Figure 39: Sausage types, July 2017
- Older consumers more likely to buy sausage links
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- Figure 40: Sausage types, by age, July 2017
- Black consumers most likely to purchase patties
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- Figure 41: Sausage types, patties, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2017
Hot Dog and Sausage Purchase Drivers
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- Taste, ease, and versatility open all consumers to the category
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- Figure 42: Reasons why consumers purchase hot dogs and sausages, July 2017
- Older consumers especially value taste, convenience within category
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- Figure 43: Reasons why consumers purchase hot dogs and sausages, by age, July 2017
- Lower-income consumers find hot dogs and sausages to be affordable
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- Figure 44: Reasons why consumers purchase hot dogs and sausages, affordability, by household income, July 2017
- Negative health perceptions lead a quarter to avoid category
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- Figure 45: Reasons why consumers don’t purchase hot dogs and sausages, July 2017
- Health issues deter women from purchasing hot dogs and sausages
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- Figure 46: Reasons why consumers don’t purchase hot dogs and sausages, by gender, July 2017
Hot Dog and Sausage Behavior
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- Hot dogs and sausages commonly purchased at supermarkets, eaten during the summer
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- Figure 47: Hot dog and sausage behavior, July 2017
- Men most likely to eat hot dogs and sausages year round
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- Figure 48: Hot dog and sausage behavior, consumption seasonality, by gender, July 2017
- Older consumers more likely to purchase hot dogs and sausages at supermarkets
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- Figure 49: Hot dog and sausage behavior, purchase at supermarkets, by age, July 2017
- Bulk hot dogs and sausages appealing to parents with multiple kids
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- Figure 50: Hot dog and sausage behavior, purchase in club stores, by number of children under 18 in household, July 2017
Hot Dog and Sausage Occasions
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- Occasions are primarily every day, yet social occasions are strong
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- Figure 51: Hot dog and sausage occasions, July 2017
- Convenience drives parents to the category
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- Figure 52: Hot dog and sausage occasions, by parental status, July 2017
- Daypart occasions vary by race, origin
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- Figure 53: Hot dog and sausage occasions, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2017
Hot Dog and Sausage Attitudes
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- Consumers concerned with quality of hot dogs and sausages
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- Figure 54: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, July 2017
- Women concerned about health, men want new flavors
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- Figure 55: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, by gender, July 2017
- Important attributes varies with age
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- Figure 56: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, by age, July 2017
- Parents more likely to try new flavors, pay more for premium options
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- Figure 57: Hot dog and sausage attitudes, by parental status, July 2017
Hot Dog and Sausage Innovation
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- Bold flavors, premium ingredients of interest to consumers
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- Figure 58: Hot dog and sausage innovation, July 2017
- Sausage purchasers more interested in innovation than hot dog buyers
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- Figure 59: Hot dog and sausage purchase, by hot dog and sausage innovation, July 2017
- Younger men most interested in hot dog and sausage innovation
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- Figure 60: Hot dog and sausage innovation, by gender and age, July 2017
- Parents interested in premium and value-added innovation
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- Figure 61: Hot dog and sausage innovation, by parental status, July 2017
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Direct marketing creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 62: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 63: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs and sausages, by segment, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 64: Total US retail sales of hot dogs and sausages, by segment, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
- Figure 65: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs, at current prices, 2012-22
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- Figure 66: Total US retail sales and forecast of hot dogs, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 67: Total US retail sales and forecast of dinner sausage, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 68: Total US retail sales and forecast of dinner sausage, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 69: Total US retail sales and forecast of breakfast sausage, at current prices, 2012-22
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- Figure 70: Total US retail sales and forecast of breakfast sausage, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 71: Total US retail sales of hot dogs and sausages, by channel, at current prices, 2012-2017
- Figure 72: Total US retail sales of hot dogs and sausages, by channel, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
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- Figure 73: US supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, 2012-17
- Figure 74: US sales of hot dogs and sausages through other retail channels, at current prices, 2012-17
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 75: MULO sales of hot dogs, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 76: MULO sales of dinner sausage, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 77: MULO sales of breakfast sausage, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 78: Natural supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 8/16/15-8/13/17
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- Figure 79: Natural supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, by organic ingredients, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 8/16/2015 and 8/13/2017
- Figure 80: Natural supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, by gluten-free labeling/certification, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 8/16/2015 and 8/13/2017
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- Figure 81: Natural supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, by nitrate-free labeling, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 8/16/2015 and 8/13/2017
- Figure 82: Natural supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, by grass-fed labeling, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 8/16/2015 and 8/13/2017
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- Figure 83: Natural supermarket sales of hot dogs and sausages, by vegan labeling, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 8/16/2015 and 8/13/2017
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