Oscar Mayer makes improvements to hot dog recipes

PITTSBURGH AND CHICAGO — The Oscar Meyer brand is unveiling a big overhaul of its hot dog recipes, Kraft Heinz announced Monday. The changes come after more than a year of recipe testing, the company said. The full line will now contain no added nitrates or nitrites, no artificial preservatives in its meat and no by-products.

“We heard from hot dog fans across the country that they wanted a hot dog without artificial preservatives in meat or added nitrates and nitrites — all without compromising on the great Oscar Mayer taste they know and love,” Oscar Meyer marketing head Greg Guidotti said. “Oscar Mayer is the first national brand to do it across every single one of our hot dogs, and we did this without changing the price to our consumers. We’re excited that everyone will now have access to a better quality hot dog with the best quality ingredients.”

As part of the new recipe launch, the brand’s Wienermobile teams will be touring the nation, looking to visit areas that it hasn’t been before, including the Statue of Liberty and remote towns.

“When we say we’re going to great lengths to get our hot dogs in every hand, we mean it,” Oscar Meyer brand build director Whitney Shaw said. “We’re putting the Wienermobile on-water in New York Harbor for the first time, visiting remote towns outside the contiguous United States, and empowering the Wienermobile drivers to make as many off-the-beaten-path stops as they can make. We’re doing it all for the love of hot dogs.”

The six Wienermobile vehicles will be on the road throughout the summer, and the brand is encouraging its fans to use the hashtag #ForTheLoveOfHotDogs to tell the teams where to visit next. The launch and tour are being supported by a marketing campaign including, TV, print, digital and social support.